Mischief In Top Gun
by alaarakk
Summary: Mischief and mayhem when Maverick and Lee's mechanic is being investigated for stolen parts and the lawyer's living in their own house. Find out what they do to stop the charges from being pinned on the mechanic.
1. Chapter 1

_This is another of my Maverick and Lee's adventure with no relation to Dating An Instructor or Life After Top Gun. It has my favourite main characters of Maverick, Lee, Ashley, Maddie and Tactical. It also has no relation to my Hollywood and Michela story. Once again Maverick and Lee are partnered, there is no Goose - never did like him, and Maverick is after the famous Maddie while Lee and Ashley butt heads in style. I sincerely hope you enjoy the craziness of kidnapping a suspect, listening to a dirty conversation, crashing cars, getting dumped, chasing fleeing terrorists in an F14, rescuing captives, exposing an under cover agent and getting stuck in the CO's closet when he comes home at lunch time for some alone time with his wife._

**BE WARNED: If you skip a chapter there's a good chance you'll miss some of the fun!! **

Chapter One

'Where the hell was the coffee?' Lee wondered and stamped his foot in frustration. He smiled as his behavior resembled that of a little kid. He ripped open another box that said kitchen but it contained nothing but bathroom stuff.

'Who the hell had labeled the boxes?' He looked closely at the handwriting and saw it was his. 'Great, now I am lost.' He swore vehemently and started going through each box one by one.

He found it in the third box under a whole lot of kitchen crap he never used. 'Ah,' he sighed as he unearthed the jar full of coffee. Now all he needed was his cup, kettle, milk and sugar. He knew he had milk; he had picked that up last night when he'd arrived. Sugar he could do without, but kettle and cup were a priority.

Off he went searching through the boxes once again. 'How on earth had he screwed up his packing?' Normally he was meticulous because he knew what it was like at the other end.

Ten minutes later and another three boxes he found his kettle and cup.

'At least they were together in the same spot and he wouldn't have to continue searching,' He muttered to himself carrying the prized goods through to the kitchen.

He turned on the kitchen tap, listening to the pipe's groan and watched as a mucky brown colored liquid ran out. He turned the tap on full and waited for the water to clear, it didn't take long.

He filled the kettle, plugged it in and waited patiently for it to boil.

No spoon.

He tipped the jar of coffee up and tapped it lightly. A lot more than a spoonful fell into the cup but he wasn't worried.

While he waited for his trusty kettle to boil he stared out the kitchen window at the small neatly fenced yard and an identical house to his facing it. 'Ah the joys of base housing,' he thought to himself. At least he was a Captain now and entitled to a two storey place.

The kettle boiled and he shut it off, pouring the steaming liquid into his mug. He tipped the milk in, settled his cap on his head and headed outside to soak up the early morning sun and contemplate what to unpack first.

He couldn't wait till Monday when he would start his new position as Senior Instructor right alongside his old flying partner Maverick. He smiled to himself as he pictured there old CO, Mike Metcalf, shuddering in his boots at the thought of having the two most mischevious pilots back under his command.

He settled on the top step of the porch and sipped the coffee. It was hot, strong and bitter; he wrinkled his nose a little but had been without the magic stuff for way too long to do without.

His sharp mind wandered back to the last time he had seen his CO. It was when he had gotten in trouble for loosing his temper. He rarely lost his temper but this young upstart of a Lieutenant had really threatened his sanity. It wasn't his fault the guy ended up with a busted nose, wrist, ribs and lots of soft tissue damage. The kid had questioned everything, orders etc and Lee had had enough, and even when he was out socializing at the Officer's Club he was still questioning everything. It didn't help that he had lost his mainstay six months before, his flight partner Maverick. The guy seriously kept Lee's feet on the ground. He had been transferred and Lee had no idea where. Dammed navy! Why'd they have to screw up the good stuff?

So his CO ordered him to take twelve months leave, go somewhere quiet and relax. Lee had moved out to Maverick's family ranch in Northern California and lived with his six brothers. It had been great and probably just what he needed. All it missed was the girls. Lee loved his women, always had, and always would. He was your typical navy fighter pilot, going hell for leather in a plane or hell for leather to the nearest bedroom preferably with a good looking woman.

He smiled to himself as he remembered the farewell party at Murphy's Hotel and the cute little blonde who had set out to complete his night. She had been real nice and pretty with a silvery little laugh that made you feel important.

The thing was, Lee was starting to miss being needed. Maybe that was why he hadn't hesitated in accepting the position of Senior Instructor at Top Gun when it was offered. He was also starting to crave real conversation with an intelligent human being. That was the drawback of the women in Murphy's, all they knew was keeping house and having babies. That was the last thing he wanted. He couldn't resist a chuckle at his attitude. Nope marriage was definitely not for him.

He drained the last of the coffee and walked back inside placing his coffee cup, after a quick rinse, next to the trusty kettle so he could find it again.

The old house had been empty for six years which was so unlike the navy. The kitchen was coated in a thick layer of grey dust and cobwebs hung down from the ceiling, a couple of broken windows, probably from some of the residing military kids and a few holes that needed patching. All of which would keep him busy.

He wondered how soon it would be before Mike's wife Karen would be checking up on him and what it would take to get her to clean the place for him. He smiled remembering Karen, the sweet little blonde who could drive you into the ground with just one look. How many times had he been on the receiving end of those looks he didn't know, he lost count ages ago. Nope, he didn't have a hope in hell of convincing Karen to clean the place for him so he may as well do it himself.

First he needed to turn on all the taps and flush out five years of sediment otherwise he'd never get to have a shower. While he was at it, he'd make a list of what needed doing. As he went from room to room he opened windows and doors to help drive out damp, dusty smells. The 1970's wallpaper upstairs had to go. That was hideous and he needed a decent bed. Sleeping on a mattress on the floor was okay for some but it made him sneeze something shocking. Well at least he wouldn't be bored for the next week or so. After he got the pipes clear it was onto the kitchen so he could at least eat dinner at some stage.

After stopping briefly for a light lunch of toast, after unearthing the toaster, he carried on and by late afternoon he had most of the kitchen cleaned including a table to eat off. The cobwebs were gone and most of the dust was gone.

The floor was going to take some washing but right now he didn't have a bucket or mop. Add that on the list to buy tomorrow. In the meantime it was a supper of toast and coffee. At least he now had a plate and cutlery to eat off he smiled to himself as he stacked some of the crockery in the cupboard of his choosing. The glass fronts on the kitchen cabinets were grey and cloudy, where was that list? Window cleaner and paper towels were added. That night was spent unpacking some of the boxes and putting his kitchen together. A lot of items that he had brought with him were tossed as he didn't use them and hadn't used them in a long time.

It was just on five when I pulled up in front of my new home. The best thing was it was all mine. I'd left Houston a couple of days ago and driven through most of the night eager to get to my new home. I was tired but it was a pleasant tiredness and I don't think I could have slept even if I wanted too I was so excited.

Finally, I was getting a house, although I wasn't married or anything and technically not entitled to one but my rank determined that I was and after much ranting and raving I had managed to get one.

I switched off the car and sat for a minute listening to the sounds of a NAS Miramar come alive. God, how I had missed that, ships were so much noisier and the noise never stopped.

I picked up the brand new silver key ring that had been lying on the seat beside me the whole trip. Quickly sliding the car's ignition key onto it. It was bought as a symbol of starting a brand new life.

Leaping out of the new convertible, I all but ran up the stairs marveling at the stained glass in the door as I approached. The floor boards of the porch were all sturdy and only a couple creaked lightly as I crossed them. The key slid in nicely and the lock turned with a neat click, the door swinging wide open in a welcoming manner.

"Hello?" I called out as a lark. The place was empty but I couldn't help myself as I crossed the threshold. That's where I stopped.

The house wasn't empty at all. There were boxes piled up everywhere. 'Had the removalists beaten me here already?' I wondered, 'But they weren't scheduled to arrive until the following weekend, this was only Sunday.'

I looked closely at the boxes and realized they were from another moving company. Some had been opened and contents haphazardly re-stacked in them. I poked through them curious; it certainly was an interesting development. I was told the house had been empty for five years and yet here were all these boxes with things in them, that didn't look like they had been sitting there for that long.

"Do you mind telling me what you're doing?" A commanding voice sounded from behind me and I jumped.


	2. Chapter 2

_Better duck for cover as the sparks fly._

Chapter Two

Whirling around I was confronted with a serious pair of green eyes belonging to a nicely tanned, rather handsome man. He wore his jeans and his short hair was tousled from sleep, if that was possible. The muscles were well defined but his smile wasn't real friendly. I had no idea where he had come from.

"I could ask you the same thing. Are these yours?" I indicated the boxes, my defensive instincts kicking in.

"Yes."

"And what are they doing in my home?"

"Your home? Since when?"

"Since I was given it just over a week ago."

"Lady I think you have the wrong house. This is my house."

"Well we both can't own it. Is the address 18 Sailor Street, Miramar Naval Air Base?"

"That's it; would you like to see the paperwork?" His serious look had practically turned into a smirk as he obviously considered the argument won.

That was okay by me, I'd wipe that smirk off. Having a sister for a lawyer had taught me a thing or two.

"May I?" I asked sweetly.

"Of course." He rifled through some documents on a low dusty coffee table and handed me one from the bottom of the pile.

I looked over it carefully taking note of all the details. The details were all the same as what was on my own documents so it looked like someone in base housing had screwed up. I pulled out my own paperwork out of my bag and handed it to him. As he read through his eyebrows rose in amusement.

"Looks like you have a problem doesn't it?" He handed the papers back to me.

"No I don't have a problem at all, you do. You shouldn't be here. You're trespassing."

"I'm trespassing? And what do you think you're doing?"

"Moving in, now if you'll excuse me, but you will have to clear your stuff out as mine's due in any minute. The removalist's truck wasn't that far behind me," I lied easily.

"Listen, sweetheart, I am not going anywhere. I was allocated this house and I am dammed well going to live in it and if you don't like it that's your problem. Now I'll ask you nicely, once more, please leave you are trespassing." He glared at me.

"No." I answered defiantly. "I haven't been driving for the past 24 hrs just to have some upstart squatter throw me out of my own home."

"Lady you've got ten minutes. If you are not out of here by then I personally will pick you up by that pretty red hair and toss you out, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Sir!" I snapped a salute at him with a filthy look.

The guy walked away into another room and I could hear water running.

'Okay, well he's obviously not going to move so it looks like I'll have to do it for him,' I thought to myself and picked up the nearest box. It was a bit heavier than expected but I was able to lift it. I took it straight outside and dumped it on the front porch. Ten seconds later I returned for another one. Six boxes sat outside and I had another six to go when he reappeared in the doorway sipping a hot cup of coffee.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" He roared at me. He slammed his coffee cup down, spilling the hot brown liquid and striding after me.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting rid of you." I glared at him after stacking the box on top of another one outside.

"Over my dead body," he growled and promptly picked up the box, carrying it back inside.

"What a pity I don't have a gun."

"Lady, I don't know what your problem is but you have no right coming here tossing me out of my own home." He went back out to bring in another box while I picked the same box up and carried it straight back out again.

"I'm not tossing you out of your own home; I am tossing you out of my home." I let go of the box and smiled in satisfaction as it dropped to the floor with a heavy thud right on his bare foot. He glared and cursed me something shocking as he hopped around on his one good foot. "Oh I'm sorry did I hurt you?" I asked in a sugary sweet voice. "You really should be more careful." I turned to go back inside.

He picked up the dropped box and carried it back inside setting it down carefully. He decided then, to change tact's. "You know we aren't going to get anywhere like this, its obvious to me someone has made a mistake somewhere."

"And what do you want me to do about it?" I paused as I spied a white shirt with stripes on the shoulder in the next box, "Captain?"

"Very good, you know your navy ranks." He walked back outside to get another box.

I followed carrying another one outside.

"Yes I do but right now that's not a problem. The problem is that you are living in my house and I don't want you here."

"Well the feelings mutual, did you ever think about that? I don't want you living here either. The last thing I need at the moment is some darned female causing me grief."

"Good, all the more reason for you to go." I quipped and walked back inside to get another box. He followed me back inside carrying the same box back in.

"Lady I'm not going anywhere." He sat down on the box I was about to lift.

I stood back, crossing my arms in annoyance.

"Okay, well, I believe the housing offices is that way so why don't you just go right on down there and find a shed to sleep in. I'm sure there's plenty around."

"Why don't you do that, you're the intruder?"

"Because as you've said a couple of times this morning I'm a lady-"

"I was being polite."

"Even so, a lady doesn't deserve that sort of treatment no matter what she has done."

"And what would you know aside from not knowing what a real lady is?"

"And what's that suppose to mean?" My head snapped up and I met his cold green eyes with my own fiery blue ones.

"You're not a lady, more likely a spoilt brat who is not getting her own way."

"How dare you! You know nothing about me."

"Exactly and arguing like this isn't going to solve the problem, now is it?" He asked in a reasonable tone.

"And what exactly do you suggest we do Captain?" I glared at him.

"Well for starters stop trying to move me out of here. I have just as much right to be here as you do. Secondly, if you got off your high horse for a minute or two maybe we can come to some arrangement or agreement until we get this mess sorted out. Third, I don't know about you but if I don't drink that coffee soon I'm liable to tear your head off."

"You already have." I glared at him.

"Coffee?" He offered giving me a rather sexy disarming smile.

"Alright but I'll make it. I'd hate to arrive at my new home only to have an arrogant officer poison me at the first attempt to make nice."

"Fine." He held both hands up and stood back allowing me access to where I guessed was the kitchen. "By the way do you have a mug?"

"Of course." I picked his up from where he'd left it and took it with me, his curses following me into the kitchen.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Better?" The guy asked me from his comfortable seat in a broken old armchair that had come with the house. It was dusty and made you sneeze.

I had both arms wrapped around his mug full of steaming hot coffee, the warmth actually helping to keep me calm.

I nodded, leaning in the doorway between kitchen and living room. "I'm sorry about this morning; I really wasn't expecting anyone else to be here."

"It's okay; I wasn't expecting anyone to prance in here and try to kick me out of my own home."

"It's my home too you know?"

He held up his hand to stop me from exploding, "Hey you don't have to tell me that, by the way, what's your name?"

"Ashley, Ashley Kazanski."

He looked up at me in surprise as he took a sip of coffee. "I'm Lee; do you have a brother by the name of Tom in the navy?"

"Yes, he's a pilot, haven't seen him in a long time though."

"I've worked with him here at Top Gun. Is that where you know your navy ranks?"

"No, I grew up in Miramar after our parents separated. He stayed with Mum and I lived with Dad. They separated when we were twelve."

"That's a long time."

"Yes it is." I shrugged, "So when did you apply for the house?"

"When they wanted me to come back as Senior Instructor, it was one of the conditions of my return. What about you?"

"I was moving base and I've been getting real fed up with Officers Quarters when they said they had a house available, a bit run down, needed some work but it didn't matter. A house is a house."

"Yeah, so you're navy too? What rank? I thought you might have been a wife or girlfriend."

"Nope, I'm a Luitennant Commander and a PA."

"Who are you going to be working with?"

"Commander Metcalf."

Lee raised his eyebrows in amusement, "You are kidding aren't you?"

"Nope why? Do you know him?"

"He's my CO as well. I'm one of his Senior Top Gun Instructors."

"Well then I suggest you stop being so difficult to get along with or we may have problems."

"I'm a pretty easy going person, actually-"

"Except when you aren't getting your own way," I muttered.

He heard me. "What the hell would you know? You've only been here half an hour."

"My, my Captain, we do have a temper don't we?" I smiled another sugary sweet smile.

"Only when it comes to people who don't know how to co-operate." He glared at me and I grinned smugly in reply.

"You know, I was thinking of offering to share the place, save you hassling base housing but I don't think I'll bother. I really don't like arrogant flyboys."

"You don't like men who know what they want." He looked at me equally as smug and I was reminded of irrisitable force meets immovable object.

"You're right I don't, especially when they have their heads shoved so far up their asses they can't see the sunshine." I stormed into the kitchen and threw his coffee mug in the sink breaking it.

"Now who's got a temper?" He looked at me from the kitchen doorway.

"Why don't you just go to hell?!"

"I would but hell won't have me."

I gave him a filthy look and stormed outside to my car, not knowing what else to do. I knew one of us would have to go and have a talk with base housing and it didn't look like he was going too so I may as well. Besides the less time I spent in his company the safer he was going to be and I wouldn't be in jail for murder.

Half an hour later I was back. This was the last of the on base accommodation as everything else was full. I could share the house or bunk in a one bedroom flat with five other navy personnel. This was not turning out to be a good day.

"You're back," Lee stated amicably from the porch.

"Yes." Was all I said as I got out and pulled a couple of bags from the boot. "We have to share, there's no other accommodation available."

"What if I don't want to share? The whole idea of coming here was to have a place that was all mine and that I wouldn't have to share with anyone."

"I don't particularly care. I spent a good six months getting this place and I'm not about to let an arrogant squatter kick me out!"

"I'm not a squatter and as soon as you get used to that idea the sooner we'll get along."

"Take it up with base housing but I warn you, you won't get very far." I picked up my bags and walked inside heading for the stairs.

"First room on the right is mine!" He called up after me.

"Fine." I stormed down the hallway to the very last door and found a nice sunny room overlooking the street. I dropped my bags and kicked the door shut angrily. The room was bare so I stretched out on the floor seeing as how there was no bed to flop onto.

"By the way if you don't learn to control that temper of yours I will personally kick that curvy little ass of yours right back out that door!" Lee yelled from somewhere in the house, I assumed it was the bottom of the stairs.

"Whatever," I muttered to myself rolling over on my spot on the floor and resting my chin on my folded hands. I closed my eyes wondering what on earth I had got myself into.

"Well, what's the house like? Is it as nice as they said it was?" My sister, Maddie asked as soon as she heard my voice on the other end of the phone.

"The house is lovely. The Captain that came with it is not."

"What Captain? I thought they told you the place was empty?"

"It was, but someone botched it in base housing and now I'm stuck with him."

Maddie laughed on the other end, "Typical navy does it again. Is he cute?"

"Yes."

"Even better."

"Glad you think so. He might be cute but he won't listen to reason, that's for sure."

"Are you being reasonable?"

"Maybe."

"Ashley?" I heard the warning tone and sighed. The one thing I hated about Maddie was that she knew me so well.

"What?"

"What have you done?"

"Nothing much, called him a few names and yelled a little bit."

Maddie laughed, "Poor guy is probably wondering what he's got himself into."

"Good."

"Can you move somewhere else?"

"Nope, housing's all full up, this was the last place and they weren't even going to open it up for housing. Besides why should I move it's my place too?"

"Oh dear," Maddie sighed and laughed. "Want me to send the boxing gear down?"

"Just the padding, he's going to need it."

"Now Ashley, you can't go around beating the guy up."

"Why not? It sounds good to me." I paused for a minute, "He's a pilot and under Commander Metcalf, Senior Flight Instructor."

"Oh brother!"

I had to laugh, "Yeah oh brother is right."

"So what are you going to do?"

"It looks like we're sharing. He's got a room at one end of the hall and I've claimed another at the other end. I've already tried to move him out."

"You what?!" She half-screamed, half-laughed.

"I tried to move him out."

"How did you manage that?"

"He had all his boxes and stuff piled up inside so I started moving them outside one by one. When he got too annoying I dropped a box on his bare foot."

"Oh Ashley, why does that not surprise me?"

"Well he was being a pain, by the way you never taught me what to do when the opposition gained the upper hand in an argument."

"That's because I never let them."

"Yeah? Well this one did, mind you; I put up a heck of a fight."

"I can imagine."

I could just see her sitting there with her stern and reprimanding school marm's face.

We finished the conversation off with Maddie in gales of laughter. Obviously it was amusing to her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The bedroom I had was as big as the master that Lee was in which suited me fine. It was almost like the house had been waiting for us both.

We managed to put our differences aside long enough to put together a shopping list and agree to split the cost except on special items the other didn't want or eat.

Lee was still cleaning and organizing the kitchen so I left him to it and went into town to buy food and cleaning items.

When I returned there was a glazier replacing the broken window panes.

"Did you get everything?" Lee asked as I carried bags into the kitchen. He was leaning against a bench watching some stranger replace the glass in the window over the sink.

"Yes, who's that?"

"The glazier for the broken windows."

"Oh?" I looked at him annoyed. "Let's get one thing straight if we are going to be sharing I'd like to be informed when and if you go hiring people to do something. It's half my house too and I have a right to choose whether or not we get someone in or do it ourselves."

"You want to fix the glass, go right ahead."

"No I don't want to fix the glass I want to be consulted on these sorts of things! I suppose you expect me to foot half the bill?"

"Nope, I'll pay."

"Good! Because I wasn't going too!" I turned and stormed out to get the rest of the shopping out of my car. I hated it when people didn't ask or include me in relevant decisions.

"Who's the wildcat?" The glazier guy asked having overheard the heated exchange.

"Just a pest I found on the doorstep, thing is I made the mistake of letting her in, now I can't get her out."

The glazier guy shook his head with laughter, "Isn't that just typical of women?"

"Yeap, that's why I made sure none of my girls stuck around for more than twelve hours, mind you she's only been here eight."

"Give them an inch and they'll take a mile."

"Too right they will."

Lee and the guy exchanged a wink as I came back in the door with the bags. I set them down and glared at my new housemate.

"I don't suppose you want to give me a hand seeing as how half of it is yours?"

"Anything for peace," Lee muttered following me outside to help with the shopping bags.

"What's that suppose to mean?" I stopped at the top of the porch stairs.

"You weren't supposed to hear that," Lee muttered looking a little self-conscious.

"Well I did and I'd like an explanation please?"

"Sure, I'll do anything you wish to stop you biting me, is that okay with you?"

"Fine but I don't bite."

"Like hell you don't." Lee answered picking up a couple of plastic bags and carrying them inside.

"What would you know?" I grumbled, following him up the stairs with a couple more bags. Suddenly the bottom of the bags broke and the shopping tumbled everywhere. "Oh shit!" I kicked at a can.

"Don't swear it's not nice." Lee stated as he walked past me to get more shopping.

I stuck my tongue out at his back as I started picking things up.

By that night an uneasy truce had settled between us. Lee was busy unpacking some of his stuff while I made a bed up on the floor. The afternoon had been spent with him in the kitchen setting it up and I tackled the living room. This avoided any arguments.

We got our own dinners and he rearranged the kitchen so half the cupboards were left for me. I didn't say anything but I appreciated the gesture.

We didn't have any furniture except the kitchen table, four chairs, coffee table and the broken armchair. Lee had said he was intending to go shopping for furniture but I assured him it wasn't necessary as mine was on its way.

At eight there was a knock on the door downstairs and Lee answered it.

"Iceman, how are you?" Lee tried to mask the dislike in his voice.

"Good thanks Lee; you were called back in too?"

"Yeah, come in. How have you been?"

"Not bad, Mitchell isn't with you is he?"

"Not yet. I've got your sister though, she's upstairs."

Iceman smiled dryly, "Giving you trouble yet?"

"Nothing that I can't handle."

"Be warned she wasn't called Red for no reason."

"No kidding, personally I prefer Hellcat."

Ice threw his head back with a laugh and cold smile, "Which room is she in?"

"Upstairs, turn left, it's the last door along."

Iceman was about to head upstairs when my door opened and I came downstairs.

"Hey Sis, how are you settling in?"

"It'd be a lot better if he wasn't here." I glared at Lee.

"Oh come on Sis, you know you don't mean that. Besides you only dislike people when you aren't getting your own way."

"Ah so that's your secret." Lee smiled at me in a pleased way.

"Don't you have some unpacking to do?" I asked looking at him pointedly.

"Yeah, alright I'll leave you to it. Good to see you Ice."

"You too, see you Monday."

"You can count on it." Lee ran upstairs to his room for a bit of light reading before turning in.

"So you want to tell me why you're sharing with Sanders?" Iceman sat down on the bottom step and patted the spot beside him.

I joined him, "Base housing stuffed things up and there's no other alternative accommodation."

"Why don't you come and stay with me and Slider?"

"Because I'm a Luietennant Commander and I'm entitled to a house. It took me six months of ranting and raving to get this place and I'm not exactly in a hurry to let it go. Besides I'm fed up with Officer's Quarters and this house is really nice."

"Needs a bit of work."

"I know. Maddie says hello by the way."

"Where is she?"

"Tucson, Arizona last I heard."

"Last you heard? How long ago did you talk to her?"

"This morning."

"This morning and you don't know where she is?"

"I didn't ask, I was too angry at the screw up with the housing that I didn't think too."

"Well if he gets too annoying you can always pull rank on him."

"Oh he's okay, I guess. We just have to get used to one another. By the way do you have an air-mattress?"

"Yeap, why? Do you want it?"

"Please, my furniture doesn't get here until next week and right now I'm sleeping on the floor."

"Come on, I'll take you over and you can pick it up. I know Slider's looking forward to seeing you."

I smiled at the memory of Slider. He was a sweet guy but I wasn't altogether sure he was the right one for me, still it was nice to have someone to hang out with who wasn't related to me. Besides I could practice flirting with him and still have a good time.

It was eight when I got up the next morning, only because I had too. I hadn't closed the blinds in my room and the early morning sun streamed in making me almost suffocate. Lee was up finishing off his breakfast before he jumped in the shower. He was all sweaty looking so I assumed he had just come in from a run. I watched the muscles ripple as he devoured his breakfast. God was I going to have some healthy dreams over this one!

"Morning," he looked up as I wandered past. "What time did you get in last night?"

"Three, my brother dragged me out to the Officers Club."

"Ahhh the meat market, I don't suppose it's improved any?"

"I wouldn't know, I'm not a guy."

"Sorry I asked." Lee carried his empty plate over to the sink and started to rinse them off.

"Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Rinse your dishes clean? It wastes water."

"It stops the food sticking for one. Two, it makes the washing up quicker and easier and three the water doesn't turn oily, stopping the detergent from working and four you don't end up with a greasy film over your plates after you've dried them off. Anything else you'd like to know?"

"Yeah, are you a clean freak or something?"

"Nope, just smarter than you." He tapped me on the nose with his finger, gave me a nice smile and left the room.

Oh god! Now I was living with Mr. Happy!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

I had just sat down with my coffee and toast when the phone rang.

'When had the phone been put on? I'd only been there 24 hours. More to the point where was the phone?' I got up following the sound of the noise over to the kitchen bench. I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Good morning Ashley, I trust you found your house and everything to your liking?" The voice belonged to that of my new CO, Commander Mike Metcalf.

"Nope," I grumbled.

"Oh?"

"The house came with a Captain that I can't get rid of."

Commander Mike Metcalf laughed, "Judging by your resume I'm sure you are more than capable of handling him."

"We'll see about that, what can I do for you Sir?"

"I need to meet with you and go through a few things for tomorrow. Unfortunately I'm going to have to throw you in the deep end a little bit but I'll explain that when I see you. Now can we meet at my place in about an hour?"

"It shouldn't be a problem, as long as the Captain doesn't take forever in the shower."

"I'll expect you in an hour but if you're a little late that's fine, this is not a formal thing it's just a get together so we can plan our week and I can get to know you a little bit as well."

"Okay sir, I'll see you then. What's the address?"

Mike gave it to me and I scribbled it down before hanging up.

'Great! The phone had been put on and once again I wasn't even consulted. This guy was just too much.'

I heard the shower shut off as I climbed the stairs. Grabbing jeans and a T-Shirt plus towel from my one suitcase I marched straight into the bathroom.

Lee was dripping wet drying himself off when I walked in. He looked at me in amusement and wrapped the towel around his hips.

"I hope you didn't use all the hot water," I said as I pushed his clothes off the edge of the vanity and put mine down in there place.

Lee sighed and picked them up putting them on the toilet seat, "That all depends." He made his way to the sink and wiped the steam off the mirror.

"On what?"

"Are you going to be making a habit of walking into the bathroom whenever you feel like it?"

"Maybe, why? What are you going to do about it?"

"Put a lock on the door for one."

"Like that's going to keep me out. What do you want a lock for anyway?"

Lee groaned, "Because my little red-headed spitfire, I will not be held responsible for what I might do."

"You had the phone put on?" It wasn't a question; more a statement as I undid my satin wrap and let it drop to the floor at my feet. Turning my back to him, I pulled the satin chemise over my head and dropped it on top of the wrap.

"The navy had the phone put on, it was here when I arrived, if you don't like it take it up with them."

"Oh don't worry I will," I kept my back to him as I reached in and turned the shower on. The water was warm and I stepped gratefully into its stream. Two seconds later the bathroom door closed and I poked my head out. He was gone and I sagged against the wall behind me sliding slowly down to sit on the tiled floor, resting my head on my knees, the warm water splashing down my back.

This guy was bone-melting gorgeous, especially fresh from a shower with water dripping off him and his defined muscles. 'Dear god! How was a girl supposed to live like this and not turn into a nympho?' I stood up and turned off the hot water, the sudden cold making me jump but doing nothing to soothe the burning fire from within. 'Oh come on Ashley, its no worse than seeing your brother or Slider fresh from a shower and god knows I'd seen them often enough.' Still this was different. This guy was like a magnet and I wasn't used to that. 'Pull yourself together girl, he's just another guy.' Suddenly I wasn't so sure about that.

An hour later I knocked on my CO's door. A perky blonde answered in shorts and tank top. "Hi you must be Ashley, Mike said you were coming by, come on in, I'm Karen."

'Make that a perky blonde on speed,' I thought to myself.

"How are you settling in? Finding everything okay? I was going to call over later and see if there's anything you needed."

"Thank you Ma'am, its appreciated. There is something you might be able to help me with, you wouldn't happen to know the phone number for a good pest exterminator would you?"

"Problems?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes Ma'am you could say that. A rat about six feet tall."

"A rat six feet tall?" She looked at me in puzzlement.

"She's talking about Captain Sanders, Karen. Base housing screwed up and they are sharing."

"Oh Lee's a lovely boy, maybe a rat to the women at the club but he's quite a gentlemen and very easy-going. In fact you couldn't really ask for a better housemate-"

"Alright honey, that's enough. Why don't you go and do those invitations you've been talking about all weekend?"

"But Mike I want to-"

"No butt's now off you go. You can get to know Ashley when we've finished our meeting." He pushed her gently towards a doorway that led into a comfortable looking living room.

"That's better, come through Ashley." He led me into a den and closed the door.

For the next couple of hours we got to know each other and put together a schedule for the week. He was going to be away Monday and Tuesday so it would be up to me to meet the returning instructors and brief them on training schedules and changes in Top Gun. It was different work for me but I was looking forward to the challenge of filling Mike's shoes when he wasn't there.

"We're going to be down one instructor until Tuesday week," Mike said.

I made a note in my diary, "Who is it Sir? Will he need anything special done before he get's here?"

"It's Captain Mitchell, Maverick, he's Lee's flight partner. I trust Lee has filled you in?"

"No Sir he hasn't but we haven't really spoken about work at all."

"Captain Mitchell will be residing at your place and he has a seven year old little boy who will be joining him. Can you organize to enroll the boy in school and the appropriate care?"

"Yes Sir." I jotted down the details. On the outside I was calm and all business while on the inside I was starting to seethe.

Again, Lee had done something without consulting me in regards to the house and I was not happy.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Karen stuck her head in, "Mike, your flight's leaving in half an hour, you'd better get a move on if you don't want to miss it."

"Thanks love, be there soon."

Mike left and I stayed chatting to Karen. She was great for gossip and knew everything that was going on so it wasn't a problem extracting information out of her on Maverick. It looked like I was going to be sharing my house with him and his son. The annoying thing was Lee hadn't told me.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

**Lee**

'The woman was certifiably mad!' Lee muttered as he slipped up into 5th gear and hit the accelerator, changing down at the last minute for the Security Gate. He flashed his pass and gave the young guard a wave before merging onto the main road with little regards to speed limits or traffic.

'Actually she was more than certifiably mad,' he thought to himself, 'she was completely insane and the most argumentative brat he had ever come across.' For the hundredth time in twenty four hours he wondered how on earth he had come to be living with such a Nutter!

'Okay, he could understand her being pissed off about the screw up with base housing but this morning she was still asking for it.' It didn't help she was so dammed sexy with that gorgeous red hair hanging down to her waist. Soft blue eyes that got warmer along with the temper, oh yeah he'd noticed alright and she did very little for his concentration.

One thing for certain, he was going to buy a lock for that bathroom door, at least that way he could take his cold showers in peace. He might even buy four of the dammed things including a bell so he was warned first.

The picture of her pulling off her satiny pj thingy appeared in front of his eyes and he swore. He really didn't need the distraction and especially not from her!

He shook his head a little bit and turned the music up, the song was one of his favourites and he tried hard to loose himself in the music but it didn't work.

He got to town and cruised along looking for a furniture store. He needed a bed the mattress on the floor was turning out to be a nightmare. There was a parking space right outside the front of a furniture store and he pulled in smoothly without looking.

There was a tap on his shoulder as he locked the convertible and he turned around to see who it was. It was his CO's wife, Karen and she was not looking too happy.

"Karen, how are you?" Lee smiled nicely.

"Don't you try that look with me, Lee, I'm not very happy with you at the moment, you stole my parking spot. But that's okay, I'll forgive you for that but I will not forgive you for the total disregard of others when you drove in here. You didn't even look to see if anyone was waiting!"

'Oh great, another pissed off woman! What the hell had he done wrong?' Two in twenty four hours was too much. At least this one would be a dammed sight easier to get around.

"You and that red-headed spitfire should get together and take notes,' He muttered to himself. "Look I'm sorry Karen, I wasn't thinking and you're right I should have looked. Do you want me to move?" He told her what she wanted to hear along with a disarming smile.

She sighed, knowing only too well that she had let him get to her with those good looks. "No it's okay, I think the guy behind me is leaving anyway," her temper softened.

"Does The Commander know when's Maverick coming in?" Lee asked quickly while he had her attention. He hadn't heard from his old partner at all.

"Next Tuesday."

'Wonderful, a whole week with the insane red-head and no help either.' Lee thought to himself. "I haven't heard from Maverick at all."

"He's out on ship on a mission but that's all I know."

"Oh yeah, it is too." He replied looking off into the distance for a moment.

"Are you okay Lee? You seem distracted."

"Nothing a good kick up my new housemate's ass wouldn't fix," he muttered under his breath. "I'm fine, just a little tired from all the moving and cleaning, the house was a pig-sty and there's still more."

"Well you take it easy okay and if there's anything I can do to help let me know."

"I will and thanks but you'd better go move your car, the guy you've blocked in isn't looking too happy."

She gave him a wave and ran off to take his parking space.

Lee walked into the store and glanced around before wandering over to the bed section. They were all pretty ordinary looking, mattress, base and your standard run of the mill bed-heads. Nope he wanted something different.

"Can I help you Sir?" The Salesman approached him.

"Yeah, you got any beds with four posts? I need to be able to secure my housemate to something when she pisses me off." God he was in a mood!

"Umm we've only got the one over there in the corner at the moment," The shop assistant looked at him like he was crazy but didn't say anything.

Lee strolled over and took a look at it. Dull, boring and the same as every other house in the street who might have owned one. "Not really what I was after."

"We've got some craftsman that make beds. I could have a look for some brochures for you, you might find something in those."

"That would be good, anything in wrought iron?" It needed to be strong to stand up to her temper!

"I'll see what I can find."

Lee was feeling good as he pulled up in front of the house. He'd gotten a bed that he liked and bumped into a couple of girls he had once gone out with. They had taken him out for a most enjoyable lunch where he'd found himself relaxing and unwinding.

He jogged up the stairs whistling and walked inside.

"I want to talk to you!"

'Oh great the Hellcat was back.'

She marched down the stairs towards him, back straight and rigid, pony tail swinging, with blue eyes blazing. 'Here we go again, this can't be good,' Lee winced imagining her sitting in her room sharpening her teeth ready for the next bite.

"Okay, let's have it." He stood back, arms folded waiting.

"Why didn't you tell me there was going to be more people living here?"

"It's the navy, people bunk in with others all the time." Dammed if he was going to give her the satisfaction of reacting to that question.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" She stared at him and he met her stare with one of his own.

"What did you mean exactly? Come on Ashley, talk to me, tell me what's on your mind?" He teased her and watched the blue eyes blaze more. Her chin rose defiantly. 'God she was beautiful and dangerous.' Maybe that was why he found himself so attracted to her?

"What is on my mind is the fact that you seem to think you can do what you like with this place without telling me! Well I've got news for you, I live here too! And I want to be kept informed especially in regards to letting out of the other rooms! I especially don't like it when I hear it from other's that people are going to be moving in and I didn't know about it!"

"If you stopped yelling like some sort of wild thing I would have mentioned it. But you know what?" His eyes turned an intense green.

"No what?" She drew herself up to her full height right in front of him. She glared daggers at him and Lee checked to see if steam was coming out of her ears.

"You need cooling off." He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, oblivious to her indignant squeals, curses and other threats. He carried her upstairs and into the bathroom, turned the cold water on and dumped her in, clothes and all.

"When you have cooled off come and find me and we'll talk."

Immediately she was quiet and Lee couldn't resist a smile to himself as he walked out of the bathroom and back downstairs. That solved that!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

**Ashley**

It had not been a good day. I kicked the door shut with my foot and slid out of the stupid black standard navy issued female footwear, wriggling my toes on the bare boards. Next came the pantyhose which I gratefully threw in the bin, another pair laddered and useless.

The house was quiet. Lee had been and gone obviously as his hat hung on a stair post and his flight jacket was gone. It was nine on a Friday night and no doubt he was out with the others at the O'Club socialising.

The week had started off well and I successfully ran things during the two days Tom was away.

'God I needed a drink!' the errant thought popped into my head from nowhere. Not normally one to drink I was surprised at the feeling and decided to try and ignore it. I wandered into the kitchen and filled the kettle plugging it in. The dammed thing was ancient and out to get me I swear, it only ever worked properly for him.

Sure enough, five minutes later the water was still cold.

'What was the matter with this thing?' I fiddled with the cord, switches and buttons and tried again. Nothing. Now I was getting mad when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"So is your housemate still in one piece?" My twin sister, Maddie asked on the other end of the phone.

"Only just, why?"

"Just checking, thought I might have to come down there and haul you off a murder charge."

"No such luck, unfortunately." Hearing her voice helped lighten my mood a little bit and it was surprising how much I was missing her. "How you been?"

"Pretty good, things sure are quiet around here though. How's Tom?"

"He's alive and well, still his usual cold self. Slider's still declaring undying love for me but according to Tom he's not so serious about me anymore. Apparently he's found some pretty little blonde to amuse himself with."

Maddie laughed, "Go Slider. So how are you doing really? How's the housemate working out?"

"Things are okay between us we don't really talk a lot. He put a lock on the bathroom door and this stupid little bell thing, says he wants advance warning when I decide to pick the lock."

Maddie laughed so hard I could almost hear the tears sprouting out her eyes, "Oh Ashley, sounds like you've met your match there."

"No chance," I couldn't resist smiling to myself. "He may have gotten the better of me by dumping me in the shower but I've still got a few tricks up my sleave."

"He dumped you in the shower? What did you do or rather what did you say?"

"Oh he keeps making all these decisions in regards to the house and doesn't tell me. Apparently I not only have to put up with him but his partner and a seven year old kid as well, when they get here. He didn't even have the decency to tell me, I had to hear it from the CO and his gossipy wife, who I might add is a perky blonde on speed I swear."

"Uh-huh, but that still doesn't tell me how you come to be in the shower."

"Probably because we don't have a pool."

"Ashley," Maddie's voice held a warning tone.

"What?"

"What did you do?"

I sighed, "I yelled at him and he told me I needed cooling down so he dumped me in the shower upstairs and told me to cool off."

Maddie started laughing again. It was annoying. "I think I'm going to ring more often, this is better than Tom and Jerry." I smiled at the thought of our favourite cartoon. "How long before you spoke to him again?"

"Two days."

"Two days? Must be a record for you?"

"Oh be quiet," I grumbled and she started laughing again. A picture of Lee looking very satisfied after dumping me in the shower popped into my head. I swear the guy was haunting me. "Maddie I've got to go, did you want something or did you ring just to say hi?"

"I rang to say hi, I was bored."

"Well hello."

"That's the one," She laughed. "I'll give you a call later in the week and try not to eat your housemate in the process, self-defence is going to be dammed hard to prove."

I shook my head and hung up the phone feeling a whole lot better and hungry. The silly ancient kettle still wasn't working so I grabbed a saucepan, filled it with water and set it on the stove. It didn't take long for it to bubble and I soon had my coffee, a sandwich and whatever else that looked edible in my cupboards.

As I munched through my sandwich I heard a cracking noise and looked over at the ancient kettle just as it cracked and fell apart. Water ran everywhere and his kettle was now in quite a few pieces. 'Great,' I sighed, 'Now, I'll get blamed for that. This was so not a good day.'

I finished up my light supper and started pulling the pins out that held my hair up, slowly untangling the braid at the same time as I made my way upstairs for a shower. The bell tinkled over the bathroom door as I went in to have a shower. Two minutes later it was all fixed so it never tinkled again.

The shower was heavenly and when I finally crawled into bed I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow

**Lee**

"She broke my kettle? She broke my kettle. Shit!" Lee was not happy as he picked up the remains of his trusty kettle. Granted it was temperamental to work, just like her, but he'd been attached to the darn thing.

He had a good mind to march upstairs and tell her exactly what he thought, better yet, he'd toss her out the dammed door and lock it telling her not to come back. Mind you she'd be that mad she'd climb back in through a window just to spite him.

"Is that the kettle?" His girl for the night asked from beside him.

"Yes," He sighed.

"I guess we won't be having coffee now." The girl offered helpfully running her hand lightly along his lower back and slipping it beneath the waistband of his jeans.

"You've got that right." He shook his head, grabbed what's-her-name by the hand and pulled her upstairs for what was left of the night.

Sex that night was good. 'Dammed good,' Lee thought to himself as he released all the built up tension he had been holding in. The girl was no match for his appetite though and that was disappointing. 'Ah the joys of being fit,' he muttered to himself as he watched what's-her-name sleep. He was just starting to drift off to sleep when he started to think about the fiery red-head and what she would be like in bed.

'Oh hell!' Lee muttered as the first rays of the sun started to appear. He stopped trying to go to sleep then. The picture of his housemate in that satiny pj thing danced before his eyes, stirring feelings from deep inside that he didn't like.

Later that same morning he dropped whats-her-name home and bought himself a new kettle.

The house was quiet when he got back and, fingers crossed, the little spitfire would sleep for at least another hour giving him the bathroom and some peace.

Three more days and Maverick would be here, he could hardly wait. He'd soon put her in her place.

He noticed the quiet as he walked into the bathroom to take a shower before settling down and planning some of that week's work. There was no tinkling bell and he looked up to see why it didn't tinkle. All looked normal except for the donger inside the bell, it was stuck to one side. On closer inspection he found she had glued the donger to the side of the bell. He had to smile at that and give her an A for originality at least.

Lee finished up in the bathroom just as there was a knock on the door downstairs and Ashley wandered by, not yet dressed.

"Morning," she mumbled, "I think my furniture has just arrived."

Lee swore and seriously considered retreating back into the bathroom for a cold shower. Ashley wore nothing but that satin thingy and a short wrap that seriously needed doing up. He thought about telling her to do it up but stopped. One look at her dressed like that and those removalists would become her slaves for life.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

**Ashley**

"Your kettle exploded last night if you were wondering what happened to it," I told him from my seat at the kitchen table.

"And here I was thinking you had kicked it a few times." Lee gave me a sarcastic smile as he went past to make his own coffee.

"I wouldn't be so nice but in case you're wondering I didn't touch it."

"Sure you didn't."

"Lee!"

"What?"

"I'm not lying."

"Niether am I." He gave me a smug grin.

I glared at him and went back to sipping my own coffee. The removalists were stacking boxes in the living room before bringing in the furniture.

"What happened to the bell in the bathroom?" He asked leaning against the kitchen bench enjoying his own coffee.

"I taught it to be quiet. Do you want an omelete for breakfast, I'm about to make one?" I got up and put my empty coffee cup in the sink and took a frypan out of the cupboard.

"What else have you done?" He looked at me through narrowed eyes.

"Nothing, I'm about to make my breakfast, would you like some or not?" My temper was on the rise, the man was impossible.

"Given the fact that we don't get along I find it highly unusual for you to be sharing your breakfast without some other ulterior motive behind it."

"Yeah I want you out of this house." I glared at him sourly.

"No chance, Sweetheart."

"Fine, whatever, do you want some or not?"

"What's in it? Arsenic?" Lee was enjoying his little stirring game.

"Yeah I found a whole boxful of it in the basement. Is one box enough or would you prefer two?"

Much to my dismay he laughed at my little joke and I couldn't resist a small smile. "Careful there, sweetheart or you might ruin your reputation for being a pain in the ass."

"Lee?"

"Ma'am?"

"Do you want some breakfast or not?"

"Yes I'll have some but I'll cook it while you get your pretty little ass upstairs and put some decent clothes on otherwise there won't be any breakfast for either of us." He took the bowl and eggs out of my hands. "Go on, scoot!"

"Yes sir." I muttered doing as he said.

Half an hour later after breakfast and a shower, I felt a bit more human.

"Lee?" I called.

"Yeah?" He was out on the front porch with his feet up on the rail quite comfortable watching some twenty year old navy brat wash her car across the road.

"Don't you have anything better to do than perv on the neighbors?"

"Nope."

"At least you're honest. Would you mind helping me with the furniture, I can't really lift it on my own?"

"You moved my boxes okay, aren't you super-woman or something?"

"Ha ha very funny." I glared at him. "Would you mind helping me please?"

"Oh you are desperate, you said please." He looked at me and took note of my stance of hands on hips. "Okay I'll help but not until the blonde across the road finishes washing her car."

"Oh dear god you're impossible."

"I'm impossible?"

"Yeap you heard me."

"Lady, if you want to see impossible, go and look in the mirror."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"You're the impossible one, I'm easy going remember?"

"Whoever said you were easy going obviously didn't share a house with you." I glared at him as he baited me.

Lee grinned wickedly and my temper went up a notch as I recognized the fact he was making fun of me.

"Oh look your little sex-pot neighbor's gone inside what a pity, now you'll have to help me." I glared at him again.

Lee grinned and got to his feet, with one last look across the road he was about to follow me inside when he stopped.

"Are you coming?" I asked from where I stood holding the screen door open for him.

"There's two of them." He sat straight back down in the chair and shoved his feet back up on the railing, leaning back. "And they're wearing bikini's, even better."

"Lee! You're suppose to be helping me!"

"And I will once the blonde babe's have finished."

With that comment I reached a hand out, catching the back of his chair at the same time as I gave the leg a hefty kick. The chair gave out and Lee fell backwards with a yelp. The two blonde's across the road looked over at us and giggled.

"Ashley?"

"Yes Lee?"

"Get lost!" He righted the chair and took his seat once again.

I let the screen door slam shut but didn't go inside. Once again I knocked the chair out from under him.

"Would you knock it off?" He glared at me.

"Nope, not until you come inside and help me."

"If you weren't such a prickly thing I'd say you were jealous." He sat back down again and leaned back once more.

"Jealous of what? Peroxide and implants? At least I can say I'm one hundred percent natural."

"You can say that again," Lee muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing important, now go away or I won't even help you when they have finished."

"Fine have it your way."

I walked inside and started taking some of the boxes upstairs. The furniture would have to wait until Lee was ready to move.

**Lee**

"Good to have you back Maverick," Lee smiled at his long lost friend and partner.

"It's good to be back, I've kind of missed this place."

"Believe me when you see where we're living you might seriously consider changing your mind. When's Darry getting here?"

"I pick him up off a ten o'clock flight from Sacramento."

"It'll be good to see the little guy again."

"You're telling me, its been over a year since I saw him last. Brian tells me he's grown heaps and gotten smarter."

"Oh good, he can give the red-headed spitfire hell."

"The what?" Maverick looked at his friend amused as they walked down the hall towards the office they would be occupying.

Lee sighed, "This girl that we're sharing a house with. She's got red hair and the temper to match. She's prickly, rude, stubborn and a real pain. Base housing screwed up and so now we're stuck with her."

Maverick sighed and looked closely at his friend. Lee hadn't changed at all, only gotten older. "Let me guess, she's not eating out of your hand so you don't like her?"

Lee's face turned a light shade of pink much to his embarrassment and Maverick's amusement. Quickly he turned away from his friend while he recovered his composure. "Something like that," Lee muttered. "That desk is your's, what's happening with your things?"

"Transport's coming in tomorrow so most of my stuff will be on that. I just need to organize to get it out to the house. Do you know if Darry's been enrolled in school or do I have to do it?"

"Come with me and you can meet our little temper-tantrum whirlwind. She's Tom's PA."

"Ooohhh no wonder you're annoyed, she outranks you."

"Mitchell?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

Maverick laughed delightedly at having annoyed his friend. This was going to be rather interesting.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

**Ashley**

"Excuse me Ma'am?" Lee's voice interrupted my concentration.

"Now what?" I snapped straightening up from where I was bent over Tom's filing cabinet looking for some requisition forms. I had two paper cuts, laddered stockings and a whole mess of paper to clean up that I had dropped on the floor. There was ten minutes to go until lunch. I was starving which was probably why I was so short tempered, not to mention, the Commander was out for the afternoon which meant I had to deal with any problems the instructors caused.

"Ah Captain Adam Mitchell to see you Ma'am," Lee said.

"Oh goody, more arrogant flyboys! Fine have a seat in my office, Captain, I'll speak with you in a minute," I ordered without looking around.

"Yes Ma'am."

Two minutes later I slammed the filing draw shut catching my finger and tearing the edge off a nail. Ouch! That hurt. I walked back to my desk, Tom and I shared an office, without glancing at the person seated nearby.

"Captain Mitchell, welcome back to Top Gun," I stated sliding into my chair and opening his file.

"Thank you Ma'am."

I looked up sharply and annoyed, "You are not Captain Mitchell."

Captain Sanders sat in the chair, "Nope I'm not." He grinned like he had just pulled the greatest joke in the world. Captain Mitchell was nowhere to be seen.

"You told me to, 'have a seat in my office, Captain, I'll speak with you in a minute." Lee smiled. He quoted me word for word.

"Smartass!" I muttered angrily under my breath. 'Didn't he realize this was a really bad day to be pulling pranks on me? Well he was not going to get away with it this time.' Mentally I prepared to do battle.

"Captain Sanders," I spoke in an icy tone. I didn't see the corners of his mouth twitching in the start of an amused smile.

"Yes Ma'am."

"You might think you are funny, let me assure you, you are not. You might think you are clever, let me assure you, you are not. You might even think you are smart but again, let me assure you, you are not. If you ever do something this dumb again I will personally tear you from limb to limb do you understand?!"

"Well someone left there sense of humour at home this morning," Lee gave me a wry grin as he watched my blood start to boil.

"Get out Captain before I have you thrown out do I make myself clear?" I spoke very quietly.

"Yes Ma'am." Lee replied smartly and left the office slightly hurt at my unfriendly attitude.

"Captain Mitchell!" I yelled even though I knew he was just outside the door. I had heard the snickering at Lee's prank.

"Ma'am?" The good looking officer appeared in the doorway. He was slightly shorter than Lee and had the same dark hair only he had blue eyes. His face was friendly and he looked like the sort of boy you would want to take home to meet Mum.

"Shut the door, have a seat and welcome back to Top Gun."

"You're certainly an improvement on old Thomas," Captain Mitchell said candidly as he took the seat Lee had just vacated.

"I would hope so Captain, after all there is a difference between females and males or can't you tell that yet?" I spat out acidly. The Captain looked at me in surprise.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, I meant no disrespect."

"Glad to hear it, now you have a seven year old boy joining you?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Good, I've enrolled him in the base school and hear are his admission forms, you need to sign where indicated. You also need to ring the school and set up a time to have a look around and meet his teacher."

"Thank you Ma'am." He took the folder from me that had his son's school details.

I ran through the general welcome to Top Gun spiel and what would be expected of him now that he was senior instructor. We were all finished twenty minutes later which gave me ten minutes for lunch.

Just as I was about to dismiss him Tom's phone rang.

"Liuetennant Commander Kazanski speaking………Yes sir…………….Yes sir…………On my way sir……………..yes he did…………………thank you sir." I hung up and swore like a sailor forgetting all about Captain Mitchell.

"Something wrong Ma'am?" He asked politely.

"Nothing a good lunch break wouldn't fix," I sighed looking wistfully out the window beside me. "Any questions Captain?"

"No Ma'am, except would you like me to perhaps get something for you to eat and leave it on your desk Ma'am?"

"Captain thank you that would be appreciated."

"No problems Ma'am. Is that all?"

"Yes, you're dismissed."

"Thank you Ma'am."

He left my office and I found the reports needed for the meeting that I was to attend. When I returned an hour later I found coffee, sandwiches and some cake all waiting for me on my desk. Maybe my fairy god mother had arrived and I just didn't know it yet? I giggled at the image of Captain Mitchell in a fairy dress as I unwrapped the sandwich and took a grateful bite.

"Want to take a walk down the Officer's Club later and have a drink?"

"Yeah, love too. I think I need it."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Lee?" I asked walking into the bathroom. It had taken me a couple of minutes longer than anticipated to pick all four locks but that was okay by me. "Did you drink all my milk?"

It was Saturday morning and I had been up since sunrise working on a budget submission for Tom on Monday.

About seven I felt like coffee and went to make it. That was when I discovered all my milk had been drunk so I marched upstairs to talk to Lee. He always got first shower in the mornings.

"I don't know, which one was it?" Maverick's voice answered me from the shower.

"You're not Lee," I muttered scowling.

"Nope but I'm sure I could be a whole lot better." I heard the mocking tone in his voice and swore. "Don't swear it's not nice."

"Oh not you too!" I complained.

"Yeap, I have a seven year old arriving in a couple of hours and he doesn't need to learn language like that."

"Sorry Dad." I poked my tongue out at him.

"Don't call me that." He threw a handful of water at me catching me in the face.

"Hey!" I squealed. I grabbed the nearest towel and wiped my face. "Just for that you can get your own towel." I stalked out of the bathroom followed by the sound of his laughter.

"Lee!" I called and walked straight into his room. Some girl was getting dressed and she squealed in fright quickly pulling on her jeans over some pretty red lace panties. Her face coloured as she turned her back to me and did them up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lee asked from behind me.

I turned as he pulled a T-Shirt over his head.

"Asking you a question."

"Not right now you're not." He took me by the shoulders, turned me around and pushed me back out the door. "There is nothing on this earth that is so important that you have to come bursting into my room without knocking. The house might be half yours but this room is mine and I don't tolerate just anyone walking in unannounced."

"Well if you took one of those stupid locks off the bathroom door you wouldn't have a problem now would you?"

"If I had one of those locks from the bathroom door right now I'd superglue it to your lips, lock it and throw away the key." With that he slammed the door in my face.

"Lee!" I tried to go back in but something had been jammed up against the door and it wouldn't budge.

"Go away Ashley!"

"No, I want to know if you drank all my milk?"

"No I didn't!"

Maverick stood leaning against the bathroom doorway, a towel wrapped snugly around his hips and water dripping from his nicely toned muscular body, watching me amused.

"What?!" I snapped at him. If I hadn't been so annoyed at Lee I think I would have mugged Maverick right there and then. He was cute too!!

"Hey don't get mad at me, I'm only observing the action. He really gets to you doesn't he?"

"No," I replied a bit too quickly.

"Yeah right," He laughed and headed down the landing to his room.

"Maverick?"

"Yeah?" He turned to face me.

"Can I borrow some of your milk for my coffee?"

"Yeah go ahead."

"Thank you."

I went back to making my coffee and used Lee and Maverick's milk. There was enough left for coffee and cereal so I used the lot.

I came down from my shower an hour later to find both boys in the kitchen cooking themselves some breakfast. Lee's T-Shirt had been removed, for what reason I didn't know, and hung over the back of a chair so both guys were shirtless. I seriously considered banning any sort of cooking without shirts on or we'd have no cold water left.

"Morning!" I called as I drifted into the kitchen.

"Morning Ashley, coffee's hot if you want some," Maverick offered. He was making toast.

"I had one not so long ago, if I drink anymore I'll be bouncing off the walls."

"The walls have got that many holes in them, you'd fall straight through," Maverick laughed.

"True," I took a peak over Lee's shoulder to see what smelled so nice. It took everything I had not to kiss the smooth expanse of tanned skin and taught muscles of his back.

"Where's your lady friend?"

"Gone home."

"Guess she must have been too good for you then," I laughed and was rewarded with a glare. While he glared I stole a piece of crispy bacon from the fry pan.

"Don't tease about things you don't know about," Lee stated waving a greasy spatula at me.

"Who said I was teasing? I was stating a fact. Everyone knows you go through women like clothes because you're not that good in the, ummm, bedroom department."

Maverick burst out laughing from behind me while Lee's eyebrows rose in amusement. "Sweetheart, anytime you want to play with the big boys you just let me know and we'll soon see who is or isn't good in bed."

I glared at him, "You're going to have a dammed long wait on your hands then."

"The longer the waiting the more exciting it gets."

"The longer the waiting the harder it is to keep it up."

"Talking from personal experience are we?"

"If I was I wouldn't be telling you about it!"

"What are you getting so mad about?" He paused for effect, "Or do you have something to hide?"

"Of course not!" I cried indignantly. Now I was really getting annoyed seeing as how he had turned the whole conversation into an attack on me.

Lee laughed, "One day sweetheart, I'll show you what a real man is like." He tugged on my plait and turned back to the stove and fry pan.

I had to get away from him, his teasing was challenging and I found myself confronted with images of his gorgeous body in bed. 'Nope, I had to stop thinking like that! It would only lead me into trouble.'

"What time does your son get here?" I asked, turning away from Lee. The rising arousal, thanks to images of a naked Lee, was getting a bit too hot to handle. It didn't help any that he didn't have a shirt on. 'What was it with this guy? He was nothing but a shit stirring rat bag!!'

Nibbling on the bacon, I took a seat at the table and watched the boys get breakfast ready. Maverick had been grinning like mad the whole time we traded remarks.

"Darry arrives at ten this morning," Maverick answered turning back to the toast.

The toast was done and Lee was piling bacon and eggs on two plates.

While Maverick organized knives and forks, Lee washed up the fry pan.

I got up quietly and took a plate and a knife and fork from Maverick. The wink I gave him told him what I was up too. He shook his head, grabbed his own breakfast and slid into his seat, both of us tucked into a very nice, hot breakfast.

"Ashley!" Lee's annoyed voice met my ears. I had devoured a quarter of the bacon and eggs and was just taking a bite of a slice of toast.

"Yes Lee?" I asked munching on my toast and looking at him sweetly. I considered batting my eyelashes at him in an attempt to be coy but didn't think it would have all that much of an impression on him.

"It's not enough that you steal my house but now you steal my breakfast too?"

"I did not steal your house, you moved in without asking! I did not steal your breakfast, I took a plateful of bacon and eggs from the bench."

"Yeah, that plateful was mine!"

"Was it? Did you put your name on it?" I asked innocently.

"You two keep this up and I'll be putting in a sprinkler system," Maverick laughed.

"This is not funny Mav!" Lee was annoyed but his brain was still kicking, I could see flashes of it in his green eyes as he leaned in close glaring at me.

"Ashley?"

"Yes Lee?" I popped the last bit of toast in my mouth.

"I would like my breakfast back and I would like it back now!"

"No," I replied stubbornly.

"No?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you deaf or something? I said no."

"Why?"

"Because I'm hungry," I smiled sweetly and ate some more bacon and eggs.

"You are not hungry, you are just being a difficult pain in the ASS!!" That said Lee left Maverick and I alone in the kitchen. We heard him run up the stairs two at a time and a door slam.

"That went well, don't you think?" I grinned at Maverick.

"You are one crazy lady, the only time Lee tolerates so much flak is when he knows he's got someone cornered or he likes them."

I choked on my mouthful.

At that moment we were interrupted by the ringing phone. Maverick and I looked at each other, shrugged and continued to eat our breakfast.

"Ashley!" Lee's voice called down the stairs.

"What?"

"Phone, it's Tom."

I got up and picked up the kitchen extension there was silence and I waited until I heard the click of Lee hanging up. Maverick finished his breakfast, washed his plate up and disappeared to get ready to pick Darry up. I could hear him yelling to Lee to get a move on.

"Hi Commander, what can I do for you?" There was no answer. "Hello?" I tried again. Thinking something had gone wrong with the phone I hung up and dialed my CO's number. A rather sleepy Karen answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi Karen, this is Ashley. Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, we got in late last night."

"I'm sorry, is Tom there? Lee just told me he called."

"I don't think he did Ashley, he's still sounds asleep. He had a few drinks last night and when he drinks he sleeps like the dead until at least midday."

"Oh, maybe he meant my brother Tom. Sorry to have bothered you."

"That's okay."

I hung up the phone and dialed Iceman's number. I almost dropped the phone in surprise when a girl picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hello, who's this?"

"It's Lily, who's this?"

"I'm Ashley, Iceman's sister."

"Oh I'll just get him for you." I heard her put down the phone, "Hey honey, phone for you, its your sister." There were muted voices and some laughter. As he picked up the phone I heard a whispered threat of death.

"Sis? What's up?"

"Did you call me a little while ago?"

"Nope I was busy." I heard the girl giggle in the back ground.

"Oh that's strange, Lee told me Tom called."

"That'd be the CO, bye." He hung up very quickly and I sat looking at the phone mystified.

It rang again and I picked it up.

"Hello Ashley, this is Tom and I'm not very happy with you at the moment. I've been sitting here by the phone for the last ten minutes waiting for you to call," Lee's voice came across the line.

"You rotten little shit!"

"Uh uh no swearing, it's not nice."

"I don't care if its not nice, you made my breakfast go cold," I snapped.

"Did I? It felt kind of warm sliding down my throat not so long ago."

I whirled around to see my empty plate sitting on the table. He had eaten the lot while I had fallen prey to his phone trick.

"Where are you?"

"Outside about to go pick Darry up, see ya!" He hung up laughing.

I raced outside onto the porch as Maverick started up the jeep and reversed out of the driveway at top speed. As he hit the road and spun the jeep around he cut another car off and the driver hit the horn. It was a big car belonging to a General.

Maverick smiled as he yelled at the driver to keep his shirt on while Lee stood up in the front of the vehicle blowing me kisses.

"You'll keep you jerk!" I muttered to myself stalking back inside.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was midnight as I pushed my way through the crowd in our living room. I felt the walls closing in on me and badly needed some air. The party was going strong and it didn't look like there was going to be an end to it soon.

Lee had organized a little welcome back party for Maverick and Darry. Both were well known around the base.

Iceman had brought Lily who was all over him like a rash but he seemed to be enjoying the attention. I couldn't wait to tell Maddie. I had spoken to Lily earlier and she seemed nice enough. She was a press officer with the navy and was great with words.

I looked at the left over Jack Daniels in my hand and downed the last little bit deciding I was pleasantly drunk. I was a bit unsteady on my feet but otherwise okay except being in dire need of fresh air.

I pushed my way through and outside onto the porch. There I found a seven year old curled up in a chair crying. A beer bottle sat on the ground next to the wicker chair.

"Darry?" I put my hand on his forehead. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"I don't feel well," He burped and I smelt the beer on his breath.

"You haven't been drinking beer have you?" I knelt beside him concerned.

"The other kids said it was really nice and that I should try some," Darry moaned miserably. "I don't feel too good."

"Yeah you wouldn't be, you're only seven and your bodies not built for alcohol just yet. How much did you have?" I smoothed his hair back.

"Only one."

"This one?" I picked up the bottle near his chair. It was half full. Darry nodded.

He was a great kid and resembled his Dad greatly. He had been so excited to be back with Maverick and talked all afternoon about the things they were going to do in between descriptions of life on a ranch.

When he heard we were having a party that evening the excitement was uncontainable. Maverick was threatening to drug him by the time six o'clock that night rolled around.

Suddenly Darry turned green, heaved and before I could move, vomited all over me. He immediately started crying again.

Great, now I stank!

"Come on, let's get you over to the garden so you stop throwing up on me." Uuurrgghh the smell was nauseating and my clothes were feeling very cold and wet in the night air, even the underwear.

I helped him up and led him to the edge of the porch.

"Hey Ashley, have you seen Darry? Mav's getting worried." Lee asked pushing the screen door open.

"He's right here." I answered holding onto Darry as he vomited again. "He's been drinking the beer."

"He's what?!"

"He'll be okay once he throws up."

At that moment Darry straightened up and his knees buckled.

"Woah! Hold on there kiddo," I stated doing my best to hold him up throwing a 'help me' look at Lee.

Lee was already onto it and arrived by my side to scoop the near unconscious child up in his arms.

"Come on, let's get this little guy to bed and you look like you could use a shower."

"Yeah that would be nice. Even my underwear is going to stink."

"I won't offer to take that off you although I will offer to help you in the shower."

"Oh of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

Lee laughed as he carried Darry upstairs. Everyone gave us a wide birth when they saw I was covered in vomit.

"You get yourself into that bathroom before you make us all sick and I'll put him to bed," Lee said as we reached the top of the stairs.

"Would you mind getting some clothes out of my room for me? I really don't want to do the dash down the landing wrapped in a towel."

Lee smiled, "I think a lot of people here would love to see that. You could be our next pin up girl."

"Absolutely not! Now do you mind getting them for me?"

"The guys or your clothes?"

"My clothes you idiot! Geez for a top notch navigator you sure can be dumb," I muttered knocking on the bathroom door to see if anyone was in there. "Oh and you'd better tell Maverick we found Darry."

"Hey Cougar?!" Lee yelled over the rail of the landing. "Can you tell Mitchell Darry's in bed." Cougar gave him a wave and wandered off to find Maverick. "See all done."

"How nice," I stated sarcastically slipping into the bathroom as some strange girl came out.

"Lee! Honey! There you are!" The girl said as she saw Lee standing beside me. At the rate he was going, he was going to end up carrying Darry all night.

"Hi Michelle, let me go put this little guy to bed and help my housemate out and I'll be right with you."

"I'll be waiting," She giggled. I closed the bathroom door on them and locked it.

I had managed to peel the sodden clothing off and was running the water waiting for the hot water to kick in when the locks clicked and the bathroom door opened. Thinking it was Lee I didn't bother turning around. "Just leave my clothes on the vanity, thanks Lee."

"What do you need clothes for? Your beautiful enough." The strange voice answered.

I glanced over my shoulder to see who it was. I didn't know him. Grabbing the nearest towel I wrapped it quickly around myself.

"Who the hell are you?!" I asked quickly feeling the water once more. It was hot and I jumped in towel and all.

"I'm Charlie and you are?"

"My housemate, what are you doing harassing my girl Charles?" Lee asked from behind him.

"Your girl?"

"Yeah, my girl."

"Sorry sir, I didn't know. Didn't you just say she was your housemate?"

"She's both, now is there something you want?"

"Yeah, gotta take a leak."

"Take it outside." Lee held the bathroom door open and pushed him out by the back of his neck. I heard the door close and peeked out. Lee dropped my clothes on the corner of the vanity and stood back with arms folded and a scowl on his face.

**Lee**

'Great not only is the woman looney but now she was encouraging the younger enlisted men. What was the matter with her? Didn't she know what inebriated men could do to one lone girl if encouraged?' Lee was mad but for what reason he didn't quite know. All he knew was he had come back with her clothes and found his head mechanic in the bathroom with her. 'God, he needed a drink!'

"How'd you manage to get young Charlie in here? He's only eighteen." He growled as all sense of reason left his brain. He knew he was behaving stupidly but it was dammed hard being reasonable when she was naked in the shower.

"What do you mean by me getting Charlie in here?"

"Didn't you lock the door?"

"Of course I locked the door! He picked the locks like the rest of you navy men!"

There went that whirlwind temper of hers.

Again the door clicked open and Wolfman jumped in surprise when Lee pulled the door open and glowered at him.

"Sorry Lee, didn't know you were in there," Wolfman said innocently putting the little lock pick in his pocket. They all had one.

"Yeah I am, beat it!" Lee snapped. The whole idea of being jealous was the last thing on his mind.

"Woah, what's bugging you?"

"Never mind."

"Fine, I'm going." Wolfman held up his hands and walked away.

'Great! Now I'm scaring the guests away and it was all her fault!' He glared at the shower, a picture of her naked body covered in soap and warm water flashing before his eyes. 'Christ! She'd better bludy well hurry up or she wouldn't be on her own for much longer.'

"I'll guard the door outside." Lee retained some rational thought. He pushed himself reluctantly away from the vanity. At least outside he could talk to others and that was a whole lot safer for her if he did.

"Thanks Lee," Ashley called in that sweet little voice of hers.

How he hated that voice, especially the sweet and grateful one! It could get him to do anything and he knew it! The last thing he wanted to be was a dammed slave to the brat!

Lee closed the door firmly behind him and stood guard when Michelle slipped up beside him. She was pretty with her long legs, shapely curves and sweet face. He had been eyeing her off at the club the other night when he went for drinks with Maverick. She wasn't bad and, right at that moment, just what he needed.

"I'm still waiting for you." She smiled suggestively at him.

He watched amused as she walked a fingernail up the front of his shirt, before standing on tiptoe and kissing the side of his neck.

Quickly he grabbed her by the waist, spun her round and pushed her hard up against the door. She pouted a bit at the roughness but what did he care? That stupid redhead was still hanging around in tantalizing visions.

Suddenly he was onto her with a desperation he had never known. His kiss was hard and demanding and she struggled beneath him. He pinned her arms to her sides and kept it up. He had to get rid of this irritating fire. Again she struggled.

"What's the matter, doll face, can't you handle it?" He whispered biting into her neck with a roughness he didn't know he had. Both of them were breathing heavily.

"I-I'm okay," was all she said.

Lee raised his head and looked at her, his eyes glazed, 'Damm! She's not Ashley!' Instead of stopping things there and then as he knew he should he started kissing her hard all over again, still pinning her arms to her sides.

Suddenly the door opened and he and Michelle tumbled onto the bathroom floor. Lee looked up in surprise to see his pretty red headed spitfire all dressed fresh from her shower.

She glared at them, stepped over and walked off downstairs without a word.

Two hours later after sending Michelle into a comatose state of sleep, Lee headed out to the pool on base, climbed the fence and started swimming laps in the icy cold water. It was four thirty in the morning.

The party had wound itself up and he'd found his partner asleep on the living room floor, passed out cold.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

**Ashley**

"Hey brother dear, how's Lily going?" I caught up with my brother on the following Friday afternoon. He was his way to instruct his next class.

"She's growing on me." Iceman gave me his famous cold smile.

"She's growing on you? Hmmmm that's a start, how long has it been now, six months?" I giggled at his expression.

"No, two weeks."

"Two weeks? Wow! Do you hold the record for keeping a girlfriend the longest?"

"I don't know I haven't asked. Did you want something or have you decided to join the class and learn something useful?" We stopped outside the classroom he and Slider would be using that afternoon.

"Actually I wanted to ask if you'd heard from our sister at all? She was ringing me everyday not so long ago but I haven't heard from her in." I thought for a couple of minutes, "Two weeks, since Maverick and Darry moved in."

"She's probably out on ship on a case, try e-mailing her, she always answer those if she can."

"Good point, thanks Ice."

"No worries, oh and Ashley?"

"Yeah?"

"Let me know if you hear from her."

"Sure," I smiled and continued on my way to the Officer's mess where the two senior instructors were engaged in a game of pool.

It was Friday afternoon and if any of the instructors could slacken off they did.

"Captain's Mitchell and Sanders?" I called walking into the room.

"Hey Ashley," Maverick greeted me watching his partner line up a shot and hoping he'd miss. I turned slightly away from the sight of Lee bent over the pool table with cue in hand. The guy was distracting enough without advertising it.

"Don't you two have anything better to do than play pool?"

"When Tom's not looking the mice will play," Maverick laughed as Lee missed his shot.

"Bad luck Sanders."

"Let's see you do better."

"You just stand back and watch the master in action." Maverick circled the table and started to line up his shot.

"What's up Ashley?" Lee asked leaning back against the pool table with the confidence of one who knew his partner was going to miss.

"I need you boys to fly to Germany for the weekend, think you can do it?"

Suddenly the pool game was abandoned as both boys focused their attention on me. Both sets of eyes lit up with sparkles of interest. They were getting let out to play with their favourite toy, of course they were interested. Dumb question.

"What for?" Maverick asked and I held out two envelopes to them.

"Classified orders, all I know is it's in Germany and to order the plane to be readied for immediate departure. Tom's waiting to brief you."

"What about Darry?" Maverick asked slitting open the envelope.

"I'll take care of him."

Both boys were quiet and thoughtful as they read the contents of the envelope.

"Let's go," Lee said folding the paper up and putting it in his top pocket.

"Right behind you." Maverick did the same.

"Is there anything that needs doing while you're gone?" I asked.

"Yeah, don't wait up for us," Lee laughed and they left the mess and their game of pool.

"If I waited up for you Sanders I'd be dead," I called out after him.

"Good point, keep waiting." Lee laughed and disappeared into the pre-flight room to get suited up and briefed by Tom.

"Oh damm!" Maverick cursed just as the engineer was buckling him into the plane.

"What's up Mav?" Lee asked from behind him. Another engineer was doing the same thing while he did his instrument checks and plugged in radio and air.

"I forgot the ID. Unbuckle me Sergeant," Maverick ordered the engineer.

"Yes sir." The engineer did as he was told.

Maverick scrambled out of the plane and half slid down the side before taking off running into the building they had emerged from.

He raced into the pre-slight room and opened his locker, searching through its contents for his military ID card. He shoved it in a pocket, slammed the locker shut and raced out the door, his black boots pounding the corridor.

He ran at top speed down the corridor and didn't see the pretty brunette turning the corner until it was too late. He slammed right into her and knocked her flying, a folder full of papers flew everywhere and the overnight bag she carried slid halfway down the other corridor.

"Oh Ma'am I'm so sorry, are you alright?" He asked and held a hand out to help her up. He looked into the prettiest blue eyes and suddenly the urgency, plane, Lee and the weekend mission became unimportant.

"I'm fine thank you Captain, but you should be a bit more careful in future. Captain?" She prodded him when he didn't answer her.

"Yes Ma'am, of course you're absolutely right." Maverick had no idea what she had just said. All he could think of was how nice and soft her hand was in his.

"Can I have my hand back please?" She asked a small smile of amusement played about her lips.

"Sure." Maverick didn't let go.

"Captain?"

"Yes?"

"My hand?" She arched an eyebrow starting to feel a little bit impatient.

"Sure sorry," He let go of her hand and remembered he was supposed to be in a plane and flying right now. "Sorry Ma'am but I have to go." He took off running once more and wondered if he was going to bump into anymore pretty ladies.

For the whole time they were away, Maverick couldn't get the pretty brunette with the honey-coloured eyes and heart stopping smile out of his head, if love at first sight truly existed this had to be it. Even in the plane he couldn't put her completely out of his mind and concentrate which was most unusual.

"Sir when are you going to learn to spell?" I sighed circling the fiftieth spelling mistake in the report I was proof reading for him.

"Why do I need to learn to spell when I have you to do it for me?" Commander Mike Metcalf muttered as he read a brief from higher up.

"Still haven't learnt to spell yet Michael?" A cheeky voice stated from the doorway.

"Ms Harris what brings you to our little navy base?"

Leaning in the doorway was my twin sister and JAG Lawyer Madison Harris.

"Maddie!" I put the Commander's report aside and got up to give her a hug. "What are you doing here? I was only saying to Iceman this afternoon that I hadn't heard from you."

Maddie laughed, "Well now you know why, I was on my way here. How are you? Haven't killed the housemate yet?"

"No he's still alive, but don't ask me how long he's going to stay that way."

"Hi Mike, how are you? How's Karen?"

"I'm well; please don't tell me one of my pilots has been naughty?"

"Maybe," She sat down in a spare chair and made herself comfortable. "I'm here for at least a week, there's a young seamen currently being investigated. He's one of the Top Gun Mechanic's so I thought you should be aware."

"Name?"

"Charles Cooper, know him?"

Mike nodded, "Mechanic in charge of my senior instructor's plane. What's he done?"

"We think he's got a stolen parts racket going or is involved in one. He uses the planes to bring the parts in on."

"News to me, he only looks after one plane and it doesn't usually go off base unless on a mission."

"How long has he been in charge of the plane?"

"The boys have only been back a few weeks so about three weeks."

"Where was he before that?"

"I'm not familiar with his service record but I know you would already have that information besides I'm not his CO."

"True," Maddie laughed, "And here I was hoping you'd make my job easier for me."

"Hi Ashley, hi Mike," Seven year old Darry burst through the door with a young seamen in tow.

"Here you go Ma'am all safe and sound," The seaman stated.

"Thank you Skinner dismissed."

"Aye aye, Ma'am." He snapped me a salute and left the room.

Darry made himself comfortable on the lounge in the office and looked at Maddie with interest.

"Hi I'm Darry and you're real pretty. My Dad would like you. What's your name?"

"Darry," I warned.

"It's alright Ashley, I'm Maddie Harris and it's nice to meet you Darry."

"Darry this is my twin sister Maddie, I have no doubt she'll be staying at the house while she's in town?" I looked at Maddie for confirmation and she nodded.

"Cool, where did Dad go this time or is it classified?"

"He's gone to Germany for the weekend and that's all we know. Now have you got some homework to do?"

"Yeah, after I've been to the kitchen."

"Go ahead."

"Thanks Ashley." I smiled as the kid raced out the door shouting hello to everyone he knew.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Ashley**  
It was amazing how quiet the house was with the boys gone.

As I passed by Lee's room I automatically glanced in. Usually he could be found there working on some training exercise or impossible scenario to put the junior instructors through, to help keep up their knowledge, but tonight the room was empty and dark.

'Thank god! Two days of no arguments and jokes, how nice,' I thought to myself as I walked downstairs to join Maddie.

Maddie had a lovely glass of wine ready for me as I sank wearily onto one of the lounges. Something dug into my backside and I pulled out a model airplane wedged in the back of the seat. It was anyone's guess as to who it belonged too. Darry, Lee and Maverick all owned quite a number each.

"Darry asleep?" Maddie asked.

"Not quite, he's reading a book but I don't think it'll take long."

"He's a sweet kid," Maddie commented sipping her wine.

"Yes he is, exceptionally well behaved for one who has been shoved from pillar to post and can count on one hand the number of times he's seen his Dad."

"What happened to his Mum?"

"I haven't really asked but I believe she died when Darry was three. That's about all I know."

"You haven't started doing any work on this place yet?" Maddie was well aware of my love of decorating houses. It was a hobby of mine and the uglier the house the better.

"No, between working, fighting Lee and Maverick arriving with Darry I haven't had the time. So how's life at JAG going?"

"It's not bad, we've got a new Commander, ex-pilot, Harmon Rabb, Harm for short."

"And does he cause 'harm'?"

"Only when he wants something and he's using those exceptional good looks to get it. I must say he's rather easy on the eyesight."

"Oh hey, you don't have to sell him to me I live with two of them. They are handsome, rude, arrogant, over-confident, conceited and think they are god's gift to humanity, especially women."

"That's the one," Maddie laughed and I joined in. "How is Lee going? You mentioned he was still alive?"

"Yeah he is. He hasn't dumped me in the shower again and only yelled at me when I stole his breakfast."

"And the retaliation?" Maddie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He tricked me by saying Tom was on the phone. I rang both Tom's, brother and Commander, while I did that he snuck in and finished off my breakfast."

"And this started because?"

"Oh alright," I groaned and told her the tale of Maverick drinking all my milk by mistake and how it had started from there. By the end of the story Maddie was helpless with laughter.

"It's not that funny," I muttered drinking my wine and waiting for her to get control of herself again.

"Oh Ashley, it's hilarious. I know what you're like, I'm your sister remember and it sounds like you have met someone who knows how to handle you."

"He thinks he knows how to handle me." Maddie looked at me even more amused. "Oh Maddie don't look at me like that either." I half giggled.

"So where am I sleeping?" Maddie asked changing the subject.

"I'm putting you in Maverick's room for the moment. Our spare room is full of junk so that'll need cleaning which I'll start tomorrow."

We talked some more and before we knew it, it was midnight and both of us were yawning and feeling rather drunk. We half carried, half pushed each other up the stairs with much laughter, tripping and groans.

The next day all three of us tackled the spare room. Our hardest job was finding somewhere to put all the junk that was in there. Eventually I decided to hire a storage shed. Saturday afternoon was spent finding a place and organizing to hire a truck to help us move the stuff over there.

By Sunday night you could see the floor and we made plans to buy some furniture the next afternoon. I warned Maddie that the boys could be home that night but she only laughed, "It wouldn't be the first time I've woken up in a bed with some strange guy. Remember basic training?"

"Don't remind me," I groaned at the thought of many a drunk night waking up in the men's quarters with no re-collection of how we had gotten there.

It was three am when the boys landed that night and closer to five when they unlocked the front door of the house. Not a word was spoken as they wearily climbed the stairs to their respective rooms, both equally glad they didn't have to report in until the next day.

No lights were turned on as they stripped off the uniforms they had been wearing for two days and fell soundlessly into bed.

Maverick woke about ten and found Lee in the kitchen starting breakfast. He had just come back from a run.

"I had the strangest dream last night," Maverick said as he walked into the kitchen.

"What was that?" Lee asked taking the one and only fry pan out of the cupboard.

"Well you know that girl I was telling you about, the one I knocked over in the hallway just before we left?"

"The one you swear has been haunting you like no other woman possibly could?" Lee gave his partner a rueful grin.

Maverick looked down feeling a little bit guilty. "Yeah, that's the one."

"Let me guess she was lying naked beside you in bed?"

"How did you know?"

"I didn't but I'm no stranger to girls in dreams." He cracked eight eggs into the fry pan, four for him and four for Maverick.

Maverick wandered over and put the coffee on. "I don't think any guy is, anyway, the dream felt so real I could have sworn she was right there in the bed with me."

"Maybe she was," Lee shrugged, "Our little temper tantrum could have had a friend stay over and it happened to be her."

"You think so?"

"Nope but it's a pleasant thought isn't it?"

"No, well yes, but seriously, I could have sworn she was there, not totally naked but naked enough," he muttered putting bread in the toaster and getting out cheese and BBQ sauce. "I could have sworn I was not alone in that bed last night but was too tired to check it out."

"Ahh Mitchell, you seriously need to get laid. I think you're imagining things. Our little spitfire wouldn't have anyone in our rooms the nights we're expected back, she wouldn't live that dangerously."

"Well she would but only where you're concerned."

Lee rolled his eyes and flipped the eggs over. Maverick handed him a hot cup of coffee to drink while he finished off the eggs. Maverick put more bread in the toaster while he buttered the pieces that had just cooked.

"I wonder who she was," Maverick mused staring off into space, oblivious to the smoke pouring out of the toaster.

"Mav, the toast."

"She was so pretty and those blue eyes-"

"Maverick! The toast!" Lee yelled finally breaking into his partner's trance.

Maverick rescued the burning toast and threw the burnt pieces in the bin. He put in more bread.

"Man you're hopeless when you're in love," Lee laughed shaking his head.

"Do you think it's possible to fall in love at first sight?"

"If it is, it's yet to knock on my door."

"That's why you don't know about it, it avoids you. It knows you're going to use it."

Lee agreed, "Most probably, you ready for the eggs?"

"Yeap, bring them over."

Lee slid the eggs onto the toast and Maverick slapped on a slice of cheese, some sauce and another layer of toast on top. Both guys were starving and breakfast disappeared in a matter of minutes.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Young Seaman Charlie Cooper strolled about the plane doing his first of many checks. This one was purely a visual inspection of the plane's structure. If there was any major damage it'd show in a loose panel, wire or dent on the side. Birds usually made the dents. The plane's flew that fast it was like swatting flies.

He'd just checked the last box on his sheet and signed off when a well dressed female officer approached him. She was tall, slender and wore her skirt a good inch or two shorter than regulations. While her hair was restrained appropriately he could see it threatened to burst out of its restraints and he wondered what she looked like with it down.

"Seamen Cooper?" The officer called as she approached.

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Captain Madison Harris, JAG Corp. Is this the plane Captain's Mitchell and Sander's flew to Germany?"

Charlie's eyes widened at the mention of JAG. Those lawyers didn't come sniffing around for no reason. It made him nervous.

Maddie smiled at his reaction, she was used to it especially in the young one's.

"Yes Ma'am, is there something wrong Ma'am?"

"Not at all Seamen, what time did the plane come in this morning?"

"Not sure Ma'am, I'll have to check the log." He walked over to the desk on the far side of the hangar. An array of clipboards hung off the walls behind and he picked one up. "It came in at 0300, Ma'am." He handed her the clipboard.

"Do you mind if I take a copy of this?"

"No Ma'am."

She walked over to the small copier behind the makeshift desk.

"How long have you been in the Navy, Seamen?"

"About two years Ma'am, joined when I was 17."

"Ah so this is your first posting?"

"Second, I was in Pensacola after I did my specialty training."

"Is this the first time you've worked with an F14?"

"No Ma'am, I've been working with them since I graduated."

She handed him back the clipboard and he hung it back up on its hook.

"Can you tell me if anyone else has serviced this plane or touched the plane at all since it arrived?"

"Only the Cockroach driver."

"The Cockroach driver?"

"Yes Ma'am, that's the little towing vehicle that pulls the plane's around the base after the pilots have finished with them. We call them Cockroaches, Ma'am."

"Do you know who the cockroach driver would have been for this plane Seamen?"

"Yes Ma'am," Charlie selected another clipboard and flipped over a couple of pages. "A Seargaent McClay, he's off duty now. He was signing off when I came on."

"That's great, thank you Seamen, I'll need a copy of this as well if that's alright?"

"That's fine, Ma'am. Ma'am, I hope you don't mind me asking but what's this all about?"

"Pretty much a routine investigation on who handles the jet's and how often the same person comes into contact with them. We have had a spate of cases recently involving theft of airplane parts and the jets have been used to transfer the stolen parts all round the country. Washington have asked us to look into the matter and report back to them."

"If you don't mind my saying so Ma'am but there isn't much room to hide things on these beauties."

"Oh?" She handed him back the second clipboard and slipped the photocopied sheet into a folder she was carrying. "If you were going to smuggle parts out on this plane where would you put them?"

"In the wheel housing Ma'am, if they were big parts, smaller parts are easily stashed in smaller compartments."

"Are there many of these compartments on the plane?"

"Yes Ma'am, about ten in all. I can show you a couple if you like?"

"Sure, that would be helpful."

She watched over his shoulder as he unlatched one that was empty. "This is where the pilot's store there overnight gear when out on short missions or waiting for their stuff to be shipped to them."

"Uh huh, do they have locks on them at all?"

"That's up to the pilots Ma'am. We can fit locks if they request it. This one's lock is busted at the moment hence why it's not working."

"Who has the keys to it?"

"The pilots and two other engineer's."

"Including you?"

"Including me, Ma'am." He showed her a couple more of the small compartments. "So there are five people with access to these compartment's?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Seems like an awful lot of people have access to a compartment that is used on a personal basis."

"Safety reasons I believe Ma'am. If you really wanted too you could stash things in the cockpit Ma'am, but that's a pretty tight squeeze and the pilots don't like to be crowded in."

"Can I take a look?"

"Sure Ma'am, just give me a couple of seconds to get the steps."

"Thank you."

He was back a couple of minutes later pushing a set of metal steps that led to a platform which restes against the side of the plane. Maddie climbed up and had a look around the cockpit. The young seamen was right, there wouldn't have been much room once the pilots were buckled in."

"If you were going to bring back stolen parts in the cockpit, where would you put them?" Maddie looked around.

"Underneath the console above the pilot's feet, Ma'am. You'd tape them up pretty good and no one would even know they were there."

Maddie felt around underneath the console where Seamen Cooper had indicated. The space was empty both in the front and back seats. Satisfied with her inspection she dusted her hands off and climbed back down the steps.

"Tell me something, Seamen, if you were going to smuggle parts for fighter jets what would you do with them?"

"Sell them on the black market. Other countries pay a pretty high price for them especially those who don't have much money and can't afford to fix their fighters when they break down."

"Are some of these parts used on different fighter jets?"

"Yes Ma'am. The F-15 Eagle and the F/A-18 all have similar engines and layouts so a lot of our parts would be used on those planes."

"Have you ever stolen or smuggled, or been tempted to steal or smuggle, airplane parts for black market purposes?"

Charlie hesitated answering for a fraction of a second, "No Ma'am."

Maddie's sharp mind was already forming an opinion. "What if someone offered you a million dollars?"

"A million dollars Ma'am? For a part?"

"Yeah, say they were desperate and it was a particularly hard part to get. Would you do it?"

"I'd consider it Ma'am and that's my honest answer. It's easy to do and the navy's pay is pretty dismal sometimes. No one checks and if you include the engineers in a cut of the money, well you've got a pretty good deal going and no one would even know."

"Seaman Cooper, you have been most helpful, thank you. I may have some more questions for you a bit later so don't disappear on me, will you?" While Maddie kept her tone jovial and light the intention of the question was serious.

"Yes Ma'am."

Charlie watched her walk away his forehead furrowing in a frown. 'What was going on? Why was she asking him all the questions?' While she said they were doing an investigation on behalf of Washington, he felt as if it was more an enquiry into what he knew and how much.

"Oh Seaman?" Maddie stopped and turned back towards him.

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Do you always work alone?"

"No Ma'am, the shift doesn't start for another ten minutes, I just happened to be early."

"How many in the crew?"

"Eight altogether Ma'am."

"Do all eight of you service the one plane?"

"No Ma'am, myself and another guy look after this one and the others look after the rest of the fleet."

"Does that include all the aircraft on the base?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"I'm going to need a list of names of your crew, you can send it over to my office when you've got a minute to spare." She hesitated for a minute.

"Ma'am?" Charlie looked at her puzzled.

"What happens if the problem is going to take more than two of you to work on?"

"The other guys come in and help out."

"So sometimes you could be working on an aircraft by yourself or with others?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"And do all the aircraft come in here to be serviced or do they go somewhere else?"

"We have two hangars Ma'am, this one and the one on the left, when a plane requires servicing it's brought in. That way we have all the tools and equipment on hand. The hangar's take two to three aircraft at a time."

"That's great, thank you Seaman, you've been most helpful." Maddie headed back to the admin building pondering the information she had gleamed from the young Seaman.

Charlie shrugged confused and mystified but he wasn't going to let it worry him too much. He was much more interested in his date later that evening.

Charlie was filthy when he finished up his work for that day. He had discovered damage to the front wheel housing of the plane which took four of them to fix.

He was still grinning to himself when he got out of the shower and dried himself off. The navy was wonderful in the amenities they provided for their men and Charlie always took advantage of them. He never went home dirty.

His locker sprang open with a click and he was about to grab a T-Shirt when his heart skipped a beat. There were some strange looking orange plastic bags shoved at the back behind his clothes. They were the same orange colour that the airplane parts came in when ordered from the store, only thing was the plastic wasn't stamped with MNAS, it was stamped with German writing.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

I leaned back in my chair and stretched covering a yawn at the same time.

"Keeping you up are we?" Lee asked amused as he leant in the office doorway.

"Goodness me look what the cat dragged in, how was Germany?"

"Successful and your the only cat around here."

"I am not. What do you want anyway?"

"Just reporting in, where's Tom?"

"You got in at, let me see," I grabbed a sheet of paper and quickly read over it, "0300 this morning and you're only just reporting in now?"

"Yeah, great isn't it?" He asked as he glanced behind him. Maverick appeared over his right shoulder and Lee pushed himself off the door frame and took a seat, Maverick following.

"You were supposed to have reported in as soon as you came on duty." I glared at him.

"Just in case you PA's have got sudden cases of blindness, we aren't in uniform which means we aren't on duty. I will however, jog your memory a little and remind you we aren't on duty until tomorrow," Lee stated smugly.

"Yeah alright, Mr Smartypants," I glared at the smirk on his face. "So what are you two doing here now?"

"Finding out how Darry is?" Maverick interrupted us smoothly.

"He's fine. He's with my sister in the Officer's Mess getting ice cream. I was just about to pack up and join them."

"There's two of you?" Lee asked incredulous and I couldn't resist a giggle at the look on his face. "Please tell me you and your sister are different?"

"If I say no, would you move out?"

"Sweetheart, let me make all your dreams come true," He stated leaning in close to me over the desk, "No."

I couldn't help it, I had to laugh. Lee might have been annoying but I was slowly warming to him.

"I didn't know you had a sister, is she like you or Iceman?" Maverick continued as if Lee hadn't said anything.

"Maddie's a bit like both of us, probably why she makes a good lawyer. She's staying at the house, if that's okay with you two?"

"Fine by me," Maverick sat back looking relaxed and comfortable.

"I also hope you don't mind but I put her in your room until we could get the spare room organized."

"So there was a gorgeous girl in my bed this morning. If I hadn't have been in dire need of sleep I would have made the most of it," Maverick said.

"Be warned, she's fully trained in arm to arm combat."

"Even better, I like a woman who puts up a good fight."

"Don't we all," Lee agreed casting a brief look of interest in my direction. "By the way, Ashley, aren't you supposed to ask me first before making these sorts of decisions?"

"Are you trying to ruin my good day?"

"Yeap."

I couldn't resist rolling my eyes, "I might have known. I uh, hate to rain on your parade but in case you haven't noticed, you weren't here to ask."

"She's got a point Lee," Maverick said as they watched me pack up my desk for the day.

"True but still she should have asked."

I sighed as I stood up and picked up my hat, tucking it under my arm. "Does it matter?"

"Where you're concerned? Yes."

"Why?" I waited by the door ready to turn out the lights, lock up and go home.

Maverick and Lee stood up and walked out so I could do exactly that.

Just as I dropped the key in my bag Lee leaned in very close to me. "Because I reckon seeing you annoyed is the best thing in the world."

The look on my face spoke volumes as I reached out to smack him. He took off running down the corridor laughing. I didn't hesitate giving chase. Every so often Lee would turn around and taunt me which didn't help.

Maverick followed us picking up my hat along the way. He couldn't resist smiling at our antics and found himself longing for the day he found a girl he could have that much fun with.

**Lee**

Lee grinned to himself as he raced around a corner of the corridor quickly coming to a stop. Right in front of him was Colonel Harding and while he appeared relaxed his face held a tight smile. It wasn't going to do his career any good to get chewed out by the brass for playing tag in the building.

Quickly he drew himself to attention just as Ashley slammed into the back of him, but he held his ground.

"Well that was an easy catch!" Ashley exclaimed laughing and made to hit him when he grabbed her hand and held it tightly in his. "Lee!"

"Good evening sir," Lee ignored the squealing red-head hidden slightly behind him.

"Evening Captain," He gave Lee an indulgent smile like one would naughty children. "Commander Kazanski." The Colonel gave her a small nod and an even bigger glare.

Inside Lee smiled. For once, someone else was not happy with her. The Colonel walked on and Lee let out his breath.

"That was lucky," Lee sighed.

"You guys missing something?" Maverick asked walking around the corner with their hats. He'd seen the Colonel appear from the direction the two had run in and hoped they had been sensible enough to stop their game.

"Thanks Mav," Lee took the cap he'd been wearing and settled it back on his head. He still held the spitfires hand and was reluctant to let it go, liking the feel of the soft skin and small delicate fingers. He loosened his grip so he wouldn't crush it.

"I didn't even see him, you blocked the view," Ashley complained and belted him across the shoulder.

"No but hopefully I saved you from a severe dressing down and a few black marks against your name, so personally I think you should be grateful."

"Grateful to you? Huh! That'll be the day!"

Maverick walked past them continuing onto the Officer's Mess shaking his head. He had noted the clasped hands and he had also noted his housemate hadn't pulled hers away.

Lee shook his head and followed his partner to the Officers Mess pulling the protesting tantrum along behind him.

"Dad!" Darry let out an excited yell and raced towards Maverick, his face and hands covered in ice-cream. To make matters worse it was chocolate.

Lee watched amused as his partner grabbed a nearby napkin and stuck it on his son's face. At the same time, lightening quick reflexes kicked in, and he blocked his sons little arms so they fell on his own bare arms.

"Woah! Careful there kiddo, I've got enough washing to do without adding more clothes to it."

"Sorry Dad," Darry looked sad that he couldn't hug his Dad.

"Tell you what, why don't you go and clean up your face and hands and then you can have all the hugs you want."

"Okay cool!" Darry scooted off towards the men's room, "I'll need help!"

"I'll go," Ashley stated as he and his partner seemed to have turned into store mannequins.

Lee watched as Maverick stood back up and stared straight at the pretty brunette who had been standing next to Darry at the window, no doubt watching planes. Darry loved the planes.

"That's her," Maverick mumbled very quietly under his breath.

"Who's her?" Lee asked equally quiet.

Meanwhile the brunette had turned and was staring at them with unconcealed amusement.

"The woman I'm going to marry."

Lee looked at his partner and cursed like crazy at the expression on his partner's face. 'Shit! Shit! Shit! Mitchell in love? Dear god, was there anything worse?' It spelled total and utter disaster. Now he had a spitfire and a love struck dummy to contend with. Once again he wondered what he had done so wrong to end up in this situation.

"You aren't going to marry her if you don't at least introduce yourself," Lee answered and stepped around his stuck partner.

"Hi, I'm Captain Sanders, you must be Ashley's sister?" He enquired, making sure he had the right girl.

"Nice to meet you Captain and yes I am Ashley's sister, Commander Maddison Harris from JAG."

"JAG all the way down here? Business or pleasure?"

"Both actually."

At that moment Ashley and Darry returned. Maverick still stood rooted to the spot like a dummy.

"Ah Maddie this is Lee and that's Maverick."

"Oh I thought he was one of those dumb waiters or something quirky like that," Maddie smiled and they all watched as Maverick's face beamed back in an answering smile.

Lee quietly groaned to himself, 'Mav was certainly making a pretty good fool out of himself this time.' "Hey Darry, have a god day at school?"

"Yeap, what's wrong with Dad? Did the storm troopers put him into carbon freeze or something?"

All of them laughed. Darry had discovered star wars recently and everything was storm troopers, darth vaders and death stars.

"Something like that," Lee replied putting a hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you go give him a nudge and see if he'll move. Make sure it's gentle though, he might fall over and break into a million little pieces."

Darry took off to prod Maverick.

"I see you've met Lee," Ashley turned to the pretty girl.

"Yes, I've heard a lot about you Captain, and am pleased to see you still alive."

"No thanks to this one," He tugged Ashley's long auburn plait and she glared at him.

"So we meet again, I'm Captain Mitchell but you can call me Maverick," Maverick interrupted the conversation with little regard for politeness.

"Please don't hold my hand again Captain, I do need it for my work," Maddie turned huge pleading blue eyes onto him.

Maverick smiled and we could all see his brain fighting to think, "Huh?"

"Last Friday in the hallway, you knocked me over in a most undignified way, I might add. Then when you kindly helped me up, held my hand and I practically had to prise it out of yours."

Maverick's face turned pink and he started looking rather uncomfortable, fidgety too. 'Man, he was gone on this one. This can't be good!'

"Ah yes, sorry about that I was in a hurry."

"No kidding. Tell me something, Captain?"

"What's that?" His eyes were locked with her's.

"Was that you cuddling up to me this morning or my imagination?" Maddie stated flippantly and we all watched amused as Maverick's face flamed even redder. "I thought so," Maddie laughed, "Shall we head for home and get something to eat, its late."

I held my arm out to Maddie with a smile, "May I?"

"Oh he's nice," Maddie winked at her sister and slid her arm through mine so I could guide her out of the club leaving an almost seething Maverick and laughing Ashley behind.


	16. Chapter 16

_Note: I've made a couple of error's in the previous chapter's and will try to correct them at a later date but for now Commander Mike Metcalf is meant to be Commander Tom Crofts, this is necessary for a couple of Lee's pranks against Ashley. Also, Seaman Charlie Cooper is supposed to be Chief Petty Officer Cooper._

_Thanks for the review, you know how you are, and glad you're enjoying the story!_

Chapter 16

**Two Days Later……**

**Lee**

He heard the click of the bathroom door and looked up to see his red-headed housemate walking in like she owned the place, well technically she did but that was a minor detail. He had finished drying himself off and was securing his towel around his hips.

He was feeling particularly good that morning and made up his mind then and there to show the little fire breathing ant the consequences of joining half naked men in the bathroom first thing in the morning.

"Morning," She mumbled half asleep and looking far too irresistible for his liking.

"Morning, you seem to be making a habit of this."

"What's that?"

"Joining me in the shower first thing in the morning."

"But we aren't in the shower," Ashley looked at him confused.

"No we aren't but we soon will be." He gave her a pointed look as his gaze drifted lazily over her body imagining what lay underneath that satiny thing she slept in.

"Lee what are you doing?" Ashley shivered a little but not from cold.

Lee noted the reaction and couldn't resist a knowing smile, he took a step closer, "Enjoying the view are we?" He asked her teasingly, watching her face the whole time. He saw the proud ownership smile turn to one of uncertainty as the eyes started to blaze.

"Oh goody! She's going to fight me!' Was the first thought that popped into his head.

"What do you mean by that?" She snapped but not making a move to turn the shower on.

"Aren't you women always drooling over pictures of semi-naked, nicely tanned, well-built men?" She looked up startled and Lee bit back a laugh, the looks flitting across her face were priceless and he decided to add fuel to the fire. "Would you like to feel too?" He asked reaching for her hand and guiding it up over his muscley arms, across broad shoulders and ever so slowly down his smooth, almost hairless chest. Ashley gulped nervously raising her eyes to meet his.

"What are you doing?" She asked in a small voice but didn't pull away. Instead she stood there letting him guide her hand over his body wondering where it would take her.

"Showing you the consequences of sharing an unlocked bathroom with me."

"There's no point locking it seeing as how we all pick the locks."

"Isn't it great?" Lee smiled sweetly, his eyes never leaving hers, his hand still guiding hers across his body.

"I think you'd better stop doing that now." She swallowed nervously.

"Okay," he stopped but still held her hand. He could feel the little trembles running through her as he reached over and turned the shower back on. He was certainly making mince-meat of this one.

With the sound of running water Ashley's eyes turned into great big round saucers and Lee almost felt guilty over what he was doing.

"Now my little red-headed beauty, you are going to have to loose that if you want to hop in there with me?" Lee lifted the hem of her satiny thing with his finger as he cocked his head towards the shower.

"Oh no you don't Captain Sanders! I'm not one of your bed-buddies that you can use whenever the purpose suits!"

"Then stop walking into the bathroom when I'm in here or be prepared to pay the consequences."

"I can do what I like, it is half my house."

"Yes this is true but a little bit of respect and courtesy for the other co-owner wouldn't go astray."

"I've a good mind to throw you over that rail in the hallway! This is obscene!"

"You think?" He raised an eyebrow at her, "I happen to think its most enjoyable having a pretty girl standing in front of you wearing very little and running her hand over your body."

"I won't let you do this to me," She faltered.

"Do what Sweetheart?" He leaned in close.

"This!" He could almost see her stamping her foot like a child not getting her own way.

"Ah but I already have and unless my eyes deceive me, you were rather enjoying it too."

"I was not!" Her blue eyes blazed with defiance but her mouth was quiet. Now he watched the war of emotions play out behind them.

"Ahhh Ashley, why don't you just come right out and admit it, you're attracted to me."

"Like hell I am! And what the hell would you know? You go through women faster than clothes. You wouldn't know attraction if it bit you on the nose!"

"Funny, but that's what Maverick says too," Lee laughed.

"You think this is funny?! Trying to seduce your housemate into a shower is funny?!"

His patience was now running thin. "Listen Sweetheart and listen good, I warned you the first time you pulled this little, 'let's join Lee in the bathroom prank,' that there would be consequences well now I'm showing you what they are. If you don't like them, there's the door. I did not ask you in here or invite you but now that you are here I may as well enjoy the company."

"You think you are so smart, don't you?" She was starting to loose the argument and he could hear her clutching at straws.

"Yes actually I do, because I know when to stay out of bathrooms when I'm not invited."

"It's half mine too."

"You're right it is," Lee opened the door to the shower, "So why don't you make the most of it." He pushed her in and closed the shower stall door behind her.

Ashley let out a shriek of surprise especially when she found out the water was cold.

Lee chuckled to himself as he made his way back to his room. Hopefully that'd stop her walking in on him for awhile. He could handle it if she wasn't so dammed attractive.

**Later that same day**

Maddie leaned back in her chair and sighed. She grabbed the notepad she had written the information down on and re-read it. The call to NAS Fallon had proven most fruitful for her case. Now all she had to do was work out how she was going to get there in the next hour.

Maddie had spoken with the Commanding Officer in charge of Seaman Cooper when the kid was completing his apprenticeship. Commander Gabe Russell had been moved to NAS Fallon not long after Cooper had been transferred to Miramar. In the next two hours Commander Russell was about to leave on a field training exercise in the Florida Keys for six months.

He gave Maddie the choice of finding him in the next hour before he left, or waiting six months for his return. He had been most co-operative on the phone but refused to be drawn into a discussion about the young Petty Officer unless he met with the lawyer face to face.

"Excuse me Sir?" Maddie tapped discreetly on Commander Croft's office door.

"Lieutenant Commander Harris what can I do for you? No wait," He held up his hand to stop her speaking, "You've gotten bored with JAG and need a change of pace?"

"Very funny sir, actually you're close. I need a very fast plane and a pilot ready to go ASAP."

"Why?"

"There is a Commander Gabe Russell who is leaving on a six month training exercise and he has said if I can get there in the next hour he'll talk to me in connection with the case against Chief Petty Officer Cooper."

Tom nodded at me discreetly and I picked up the phone to order a plane to be made ready immediately. "Which plane sir?" I asked as I waited for someone at the other end to pick up the phone.

"Captain Mitchell's will do. You've got your wish Commander, but I do want my pilot back in one piece."

Maddie laughed, "As long as he behaves himself we shouldn't have a problem."

"Will you be in for dinner tonight Maddie? Do you want us to keep you something?" I asked after I ordered the plane to be readied and paged Captain Mitchell.

"Thanks Ashley, I should be back about five but in case I'm not that would be great."

"You called?" Maverick and Lee appeared in the doorway of the shared office.

"Captain Mitchell I need you to fly our Commander Harris to NAS Fallon ASAP. She has forty-five minutes to catch up with a Commander Gabe Russell before he leaves for an overseas posting. Think you can do it?"

"No sweat Sir, is the plane ready?"

"Being readied as we speak," I stated.

"Great, let's go."

Maddie followed Maverick out the door.

"Hey Mitchell, don't forget the tongue."

Maverick turned and gave his partner the bird. If they hadn't have been in a hurry he would have decked the smart ass.

For the first half hour of the flight, Maverick was busy with pre-flight checks and instructions from air control. When they did take off Maddie marveled at the incredible speed of the plane.

"So Maddie, first time in a fighter?" Maverick asked.

"Yes definitely, it's very quiet despite the big turbines on the back."

Maverick chuckled at her naivety when it came to planes. "They aren't turbines, they're afterburners and that's why this babe is called a jet. They make us go faster."

"Are you laughing at me Captain Mitchell?" Maddie asked amused.

"Not at all, tell me, whenever you went to a theme park were you always first in line for the biggest and scariest rides?"

"Sometimes, why?" Maddie answered cautiously.

"I thought you might be interested in experiencing first hand what this baby can do."

"Won't that delay us?"

"Nope if anything it'll make us quicker. How long has it been since you've eaten?"

"Quite awhile why?"

"Less likely to puke if there's no food in your stomach. Ready?"

"Show me what you've got Captain."

"With pleasure."

Maverick threw the plane into some tight turns, steep climbs, rolls, loops and all sorts of things. Maddie squealed and laughed the whole time. She loved it and was rather disappointed when NAS Fallon appeared on the horizon.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Suddenly the plane shuddered violently and seemed to balk. Alarms were beeping and the instrument panel in front of Maddie lit up like a Christmas tree. She heard Maverick swear when there was an incredible bang right behind her and the plane started lurching.

"Mav what's going on?" Maddie asked nervously.

"Hang on we're in for a bumpy ride," Maverick replied and switched the radio to another channel. He called in a Mayday. Maddie was scared when suddenly the plane went into a fast dive.

"Maverick!!" Maddie screamed gasping for breath.

"Hold on honey, I'm getting us down to a lower altitude where the air's thicker. Just keep your oxygen mask on and breathe deeply."

"Oh god we're going to die."

"Not if I can help it we won't," Mav muttered through clenched teeth.

They reached five thousand feet and Maverick leveled out the plane. Maddie breathed a sigh but they were still in trouble. In the lower altitude the plane shuddered a lot less which wasn't so scary. Maddie leaned her head back and closing her eyes and started to mutter a couple of prayers. She could hear Maverick talking with someone and running through a series of checks when there was another big bang from behind and the plane shuddered all the more. Maddie glanced back to see a large flap of metal moving around in the wind.

"Mav, what's that?"

"What?" Maverick looked around, "Shit! That's all we need."

"What is it?" Maddie asked panicking.

"Flap, helps control elevation on landing." Quickly he got back on the radio again and started talking.

"Shouldn't we eject or something?"

"This is a thirty million dollar plane owned by the government, you don't bale out until you reach the point of no return besides you're inexperienced with the forces of ejection so you'll probably wind up dead. Right, here we go, runway's fifty feet below us and emergency vehicles are standing by. We're going to hit it fast and hard so hold on, we may even slew off to one side. Tail hooks down, roger that, out."

Everything went quiet as Maverick concentrated on getting them down. Maddie heard the screeching sound of metal tearing and they lost the loose flap just as they hit the runway hard. The force of it threw her face first into the radar screen in front of her. She barely had time to register the bump when she was thrown violently back into her seat and pinned there as they slid along the runway.

The aircraft started to turn sharply when there was a third loud bang and the plane fell sideways onto its wing tip, the wheel underneath was torn clean off. The bird bucked violently as the wing tip gouged a deep trench in the ground from its speed. The drag of the wing in the dirt was what stopped the plane.

Everything went quiet as they stopped and Maverick quickly shut down the engines reducing the risk of fire. Maddie could hear sirens in the far off distance coming closer. Her head ached and she was seeing multi-coloured spots. She knew tomorrow she would be stiff and sore from the violent landing. Something warmish trickled past her nose and she brought her hand up to find out it was blood. The gash on her forehead was deep, from where she had hit the radar screen.

The canopy rose and Maverick quickly stood up on his seat so he could see her.

"Maddie? You okay?"

"That was one hell of a ride Captain." Maddie muttered weakly still mopping futilely at the blood.

"It sure was. Can you undo your belts? Give that lever on the right a tug."

Maddie did as she was told and slowly pulled herself up out of the seat. At that moment a mobile truck arrived with a platform off the side. Maverick climbed out and helped Maddie out, her knees buckled as she put weight on her legs.

"Whoa, don't die on me now girl," Maverick laughed and caught her.

"Sorry," Maddie muttered looking at him, "If you ever, ever try to kill me like that again I'm going to come back from the dead to personally tear you from limb to limb and feed you to hell."

Maverick couldn't help it, he laughed, "Deal."

Two support crew ran up onto the platform and helped him get Maddie down to the ground where they were immediately swamped by Navy paramedics.

"I'm okay, really I'm fine." Maddie fought them off impatiently when one of them shone a light into her eyes. She jerked her head away and groaned when she felt the muscles in her neck protest.

"Ma'am you've suffered a nasty bump on the forehead, its going to need stitches, you've also been subject to some pretty horrific forces. We need you to co-operate with us so we can make sure you're okay."

"Look Lieutenant!" She spat out the words angrily, "I have exactly ten minutes to catch up with a Commander Gabe Russell before he leaves for Florida. Now I would appreciate it if you let me go so I can talk to him. I can also have you charged with hindering a JAG investigation."

"You'd better let her go sir; she'll probably charge the plane with causing grievous bodily harm." The voice was Maverick's and he was clearly amused by the fight she was putting up.

Maddie gave him a withering look.

"I'll let you go on one condition," The paramedic stated.

"What's that?"

"I come with you and we take you straight to hospital as soon as the interview is over."

"That's two conditions Lieutenant."

"Take it or leave it but just think about this, how good is your information going to be if you're dead in the next twenty minutes?"

"I don't know but at least I'd be free of you." Maddie glared at him but also smiled in her relief of being able to see the Commander.

Maddie caught up with Commander Gabe Russell and was able to gleam the information she needed while Maverick looked after the plane. He contacted Tom and told him what had happened and that they were stranded at NAS Fallon at least overnight. For how long he didn't know.

Whilst Commander Russell had to leave he organized for a unit in the BOQ (Batchelor Officer's Quarters) to be made available for their use during the length of their stay. Maddie was whisked straight off to hospital to be checked out. She had four stitches and was kept in overnight for observation which didn't make her none too happy especially when she found out she wasn't allowed to read over the interview notes and start to put them together. She couldn't even have Maverick read them to her because of the security status surrounding the case.

**The next day**

"Are you okay?" I asked clutching the phone tighter.

"I'm fine, nasty bump on the forehead and a bit sore, battered and bruised. Actually I look like I've gone several rounds with Mahamed Ali and it felt like it at the time too," Maddie laughed and curled her feet up under her on the lounge.

Maverick had picked her up from the hospital and brought her back to the unit they were staying in. While she rang home, he made them coffee.

"Well at least you had the best pilot in the navy."

"Yes thank goodness although there were several times when I thought for sure we weren't going to make it. Do you know how scary it is watching great big sheets of metal get torn off a plane like paper off a pad?"

"No and I don't want to know either."

Maddie smiled to herself. "Are you going to be okay with our other Captain on your own?"

"Yeap why?"

"Oh I don't know, might have something to do with you two at each other's throats all the time."

"Nah he's harmless. If he gets too impossible," I stopped for a minute trying to think what I could do to him, "Well, let's just say I'll think of something."

"When you get arrested for murder give this number a call, he'll come and get you out while I'm away."

"Maddie, Maddie, Maddie when are you going to learn to trust me?"

"When you decide to stop deliberately annoying the men."

"I do not deliberately annoy men."

"Oh yes you do."

"I do not! I don't annoy Maverick do I?"

"That's because you aren't interested in him like you are Lee."

"I am not interested in Lee!" I yelled back at her.

Maddie held the phone away from her ear as Maverick put the coffee's down and sat down beside her. He grinned at her and they exchanged a knowing smile.

"Alright so you aren't, I believe you," Maddie said in a voice that said the exact opposite.

"Maddie! I'm not!"

"Sure you aren't. I've got to go now, my coffee's ready, bye." Maddie hung up on me and tossed the phone aside.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"That sounded like fun?" Maverick raised his eyebrows at her.

"Yeah actually it was. She gets so fired up when she's mad or no one's listening to her."

"Why do you think Lee loves annoying her? He reckons it's even better than watching a radar screen in battle."

"Your partner is demented," Maddie sipped her coffee. "So what's the verdict on the plane?"

"It's going to take about three days for replacement flaps to be brought in and fitted plus the wheel and all. They are working on it round the clock though which is good."

"Do they know how it happened?"

"They have an idea," Maverick was reluctant to tell her and she sensed it.

"Are you going to tell me or do I drag it out of you?"

"Several of the screws securing the flaps to the main aircraft had been stripped."

"Stripped?"

"Yes, that's where the thread on the screws are all gone and they have nothing to grip with. It's only a matter of time before they work themselves loose and fall out."

"But Mav, what I heard was a bang like something broke."

"Yeah that's the not so good part."

"Not so good part?"

"We think the screws have had indentations made in them which weakens' them. Where the indentations are they snap, and the more stress placed on them the more likely they are to break."

"But if the screws are not gripping and breaking wouldn't that mean they'd fall off the aircraft?"

"Yeap."

"So how can you say that is what has happened?"

"Because the mechanic's struck it lucky and found one screw jammed in it's place. Technically it should have fallen off along with the others, which would mean there was no trace of what the saboteur did. It's actually quite cleverly done as it doesn't leave any traces-"

"Are you saying the plane's been deliberately sabotaged?"

"I'm not saying that it was but at the moment it looks that way."

"Mav have they still got the bolt?"

"I think so why?"

"I'll need it for evidence. When I'm done with the case that I'm on, I'm going after the guy who thinks he's almost smart enough to kill us."

"Well, they're going to set an exercise up in the simulator to test different scenario's of why it might have happened but they're pretty sure it was man-made."

"Are we allowed to view it?"

"You're the lawyer, you tell me?"

"We'll pull the tape," Maddie stated and Maverick couldn't resist a laugh.

"No need, we've got front row seats at eight am first thing tomorrow morning."

"So what happens now?"

"We wait and see what the verdict is."

"How would screws get indentations in them?"

"Excessive wear in one spot or someone has grinded them in."

"Who serviced the plane last? Don't they check for these things?"

"Yes a structural mechanic would and the one who does that for us is Chief Petty Officer Cooper, he's been looking after the plane for the past six weeks or so. He's basically the mechanic in charge of the plane and oversees all necessary repairs etc but at times there can be up to fifteen different people working on it."

"Do you trust him?"

"Charlie? He maybe young but he doesn't strike me as stupid."

"Captain, when he repairs or services your plane, does he let you know what he's done or found?" Maddie automatically slipped into her investigative mode.

"Yeap, all the time."

"So if he had to replace the screws holding the flaps on, you'd know about it and why?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"And has he had to do that at all since you've been back and he's been working on the plane?"

"He did just before we went to Germany. Most of them were damaged and he felt it was safer to do it then rather than later."

"How many hours of flying would you say it would take until the screws are weakened that much they finally snap?"

"Not many, probably about twenty hours all up."

"Have you done much flying since you returned from Germany?"

"That was only a few days ago Maddie, and we've only been back on duty two days so I'd say we've probably clocked up fifteen, maybe eighteen hours. Lee maintains those records I'd have to ask him to be sure. What are you thinking?"

"Nothing yet, I'll wait until after our little meeting with the simulator before I form an opinion."

"Okay, now let's get onto more pleasant things?"

"Such as?"

"Dinner, feel like heading out to the Officer's Club?"

"Sounds good to me, although I wouldn't mind maybe finding a clothes shop and getting some different clothes."

"Well we've got use of a jeep, let's go, may as well see the sights while we're at it."

Maddie laughed and got up off the lounge. Maverick held out his hand to her and she took it without hesitation. They locked the unit and ran downstairs like two teenagers in love.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**Friday Night**

I sat on the top step of the porch leaning my head against the post, tears trickling down my cheek. I couldn't stop them even if I wanted too. I had no idea how long I had been sitting there, all I knew was that it was dark.

A pink piece of paper was crumpled in my fist like a tissue.

"Hey what's the matter?" The voice was Lee's and I barely noticed him as he sat down on the step beside me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and gently drew me against him letting me cry.

I hadn't seen or heard him come home.

"Here, you look like you could use it." He held out a handkerchief to me.

"Thanks," I sniffled taking it and dabbing at my eyes. It didn't help much.

"Now what's wrong?" Lee asked me when I had quietened a bit.

"It doesn't matter," I stated.

"It doesn't matter? A gorgeous girl is sitting out here alone in the dark, crying like her heart is breaking, getting eaten alive by mosquitoe's and it doesn't matter. Ashley, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me."

I opened my hand and the screwed up ball of pink paper lay on my palm. Lee looked at it strangely.

"What's this?"

"Read it." He hesitated, "Go on read it. It won't bite."

He took the paper off me and straightened it out. "Who's Kate Matheson?"

"Kate is the mother of an old friend of mine."

"I take it her son is Gavin?"

"Gary, Gary Matheson, head of the football team and straight A student including student body president."

"Uh-huh and this is so upsetting because?"

"Because he was my best friend," I cried bursting into a fresh round of tears.

Lee held me close once again waiting patiently for the sobs to subside. He took the handkerchief from me and tenderly wiped my eyes, his touch was soft and gentle. "Tell me, it might make you feel better."

"Gary was my best friend ever since kindergarten. Maddie and Tom both know him but he was my friend. We did everything together, climbed trees, hung out, double dated, you name it we did it. When we left school neither of us had any idea what we were going to do with our lives and went along to one of those career days. He met the recruitment officer for the marine's and I met the one for the navy, they were side by side. We sort of dared each other to join up. Gary was a great soldier and he elected to go into the Rangers. Six months later they selected him to be a Special Forces Operator. He's been in Afghanistan for the past year on a classified assignment that is until now. He's dead Lee," I looked at him. "Dead as a doornail and now I'm never going to get to see him again."

Lee sat there holding me, soothing me and letting me cry.

"You know it's not wrong to grieve for a friend," I heard his voice rumbling in his chest as he stroked my hair. "I've lost friends too and I know enough about it to know it's not easy. My best friend killed himself drag racing when we were seventeen. We had three months to go till we graduated. I was studying and my mom came into my suite, I come from a rich background by the way. Anyway, she took my books and pen away and sat down and told me Sean had died racing. So I do know what it's like and that you are allowed to grieve."

"How did you get over it?"

"I didn't but as time passes by the pain eases. It's hard sometimes but it passes. I do know that I have some wonderful memories of the guy and that helps me to keep going."

"He has a wife, Leanne. When we met she was very jealous of me even though there was nothing between Gary and I. There never had been and that wasn't because we didn't try, we did but it just didn't happen for us. He's got three kids. God I'll have to go to the funeral." I dabbed at some more tears.

"When is it?"

"Tuesday at Arlington."

"Would you like me to go with you?"

"Would you?" I looked up at him my eyes shining with hope at the idea of having someone there who understood. "I'd really like that."

"Of course I can but I tell you what?"

"What?" I looked up at him as he stood up and held out his hand to me.

"You come inside and let me cook you some dinner then we are going to have a drink and you can share all your memories of you and Gary with me."

"Oh Lee, no its okay, you don't have to go that far."

"Nonsense, you need to talk and what better person than me. Besides I'd like to hear about some of the things you got up too as a kid. I imagine you both caused lots of trouble."

I laughed, "Oh yeah, we did that alright." I took his hand and let him help me up. He led me inside and into the kitchen. "Lee?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"That's alright." He gave me the nicest genuine smile I had seen out of him yet and I was glad he had come home and found me.

While Lee cooked I cut up vegetables and helped him with whatever he needed. I still had bouts of crying but they were getting shorter. Lee asked me a lots of questions about Gary and I answered each and every one.

I'd just put a bowl of salad on the table when I noticed the time, it was only eight o'clock.

"Aren't you supposed to be on night exercises?"

"Yeah, but Iceman's plane is out of action so we called it off."

"What's happened?"

"Not sure but it was making some weird noises when he powered up and one of the afterburner's wasn't firing properly. For the exercise I needed all instructors on board so it was a unanimous decision to call it off."

"There seems to be an awful lot of things going wrong with the planes. First Maverick and now Iceman."

"Well at least Mav can't accuse Ice of sabotaging his."

"Nope they'll just accuse each other." I giggled with my statement and the laughter actually felt good.

"Let's hope it's just co-incidence or the boys will be too scared to fly and it's going to cost the Navy millions running a grounded fleet."

"What do you think might be causing it?"

"I don't really know I'm not a mechanic. It could be a batch of faulty parts, I suppose, or a badly trained engineer but other than that I couldn't say."

"If it was a badly trained engineer surely they wouldn't let them work on the planes?"

"Not without direct supervision. Now, you hungry?"

"Starving."

"That's good," Lee smiled at me as he slid pieces of chicken in a honey, mustard sauce onto our plates.

"Smells good," I took a forkful, "Tastes good too. Where or how did you learn to cook so well?"

"Lots of practice, trial and error's but Mav and I taught ourselves. We got bored with going to the Officer's Mess all the time. So one day we decided we wanted a plain simple meal that wasn't made from freeze dried gunk or swimming in oil or coated in salt and deep fried. That afternoon we went to the supermarket, bought ourselves some steak and salad stuff, Mav's choice, seeing as how he's a farm boy, and well here we are."

"Well you're both very good."

"Your Omelete's are better."

I grinned, "Maddie taught me well. Did you know this is the first civilized conversation we've had since we've been here."

"I was wondering what was missing," Lee laughed and I swatted him lightly across the head.

"Not funny, Captain."

"I thought it was," He kept laughing and I couldn't help myself, I ended up joining in.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

**Monday Morning One Week Later**

"Ms Harris?" Commander Crofts voice was sharp with annoyance as he walked into her office.

"Yes Commander?" Maddie looked up from some paperwork she was checking over.

"I have four plane's grounded in approximately one week with what appears to be some sort of sabotage. Now I want to know what you're going to do about it?"

Maddie sighed, while she hadn't been looking forward to it she knew the visit was inevitable. "I'm just about to call the MP's and have the mechanic in charge picked up for questioning."

"And how long's that going to take?"

"Bringing the guy in or the questioning Sir?"

"The questioning?"

"Tom I know you're mad-"

"I'm beyond mad, Lassie. With those plane's out of action there is no point running Top Gun at all. The longer they sit on the ground, the more money we loose. The more money we loose, the more red flags go up in Washington and the more likely we are to be closed down. Now I really don't think that is in the best interests for defending this country do you?"

"No Sir, and I am doing the best I can to get this matter resolved quickly."

"Well make it quicker would you!" Tom stalked off up the corridor.

Maddie couldn't resist poking her tongue out at his disappearing rigid back. She sighed and phoned the MP's.

"Charlie, if you wanted to steal my girl you didn't have to try and kill me over it," Captain Mitchell joked as he and Lee entered the hangar early that morning.

"Sorry Sir?" Charlie looked up mystified.

"The plane? The defective bolts? The scariest ride I've had in a long time?" Charlie looked at him blankly. "You don't know about it?"

"No Sir, what happened?" Charlie frowned.

"The bolts on the flaps were old-"

"That can't be right Sir, I replaced them just before you went to Germany."

"That's what I thought. Here," Maverick fished the evidence bag containing the bolt that had come off his plane from his pocket. He'd borrowed it that morning from Maddie's briefcase.

The bolt itself was stripped bare and you could see two indentations in it. Charlie whistled as he inspected it. "This is the only one we found on the plane when we got on the ground. According to the mechanics at NAS Fallon, this is the reason why the flaps broke off when I was preparing to land."

"The flaps broke off sir? How many?"

"Two, we were lucky. I had a JAG Officer in the backseat at the time."

"But this can't be right," Charlie handed the bolt back to him and walked over to where clipboards of paperwork hung along the hangar wall. He picked one up and flipped through it. "Here, that's a copy of the work order just before you went to Germany. I've signed off on it as being complete. There's the number of bolts ordered from store, the number of old one's removed, numbers match, etc."

"Any ideas on how the old one's could find their way back onto the plane? I'm assuming these are the old one's?" Lee asked looking over his partner's shoulder.

"I guess so, well, I suppose they could have been put back on in error, if I wasn't concentrating properly, and the new one's were thrown out in mistake."

"When you get rid of the old bolts, what do you do?" Maverick asked.

"We put them in a special bin and maintenance comes along, picks them up and disposes of them for us. They pick up once a week so I can't even re-check the bins. You dating the JAG Officer now?"

Maverick didn't reply as he read carefully over the paperwork Charlie had showed him.

"He's trying too," Lee grinned earning a glare off his partner and friend.

"My dating status is not open for discussion, thank you." Maverick muttered sending Lee and Charlie into laughter. "I think, gentlemen, we have a problem."

"What's that?" Lee asked recovering from his bout of fun.

"Well we've four plane's already out of action, my plane last week and Ice's on Friday, followed by two more this week. Something's going on and you just happen to be the mechanic in charge." Maverick's quick mind was adding up the facts very quickly.

"Are they the same problems though?" Lee asked.

"No sir," Charlie slipped back into Navy mode, "Captain Kazanski's had hydraulic problems, Luitennant Naples was loose wheel nuts and Luitennant Pike's is still being investigated."

"But you've worked on all four planes?" Lee asked.

"Yes Sir, I'm the more experienced officer here so when a plane develops problems they are sent straight to me but those four jets are also my responsibility for regular maintenance."

Charlie was starting to look anxious, "That means Sir, if there's an investigation I'm the prime suspect."

"Yeap and there will be an investigation?"

"Did you do it?" Lee kept his voice friendly and jovial.

"No Sir!"

"Good enough for me."

"Charlie, what would you have to gain by sabotaging a plane or fighter aircraft?" Maverick asked.

"Depends on what you wanted, Sir-"

"MP's Mav." Lee stared off into the distance watching a jeep with two MP's come closer.

Maverick nodded thoughtfully, "That's what I thought." He handed the folder back to Charlie with a sigh and looked to Lee.

"That's not good. Come on," Maverick grabbed Charlie's arm and Lee took his other.

"Where we going? What's going on?" Charlie asked in surprise as the boys hussled him over to a nearby Cockroach. Mav pushed Charlie inside and told him to get down on the floor. Maverick slid into the driver's seat and Lee was right beside him.

"We're going to kidnap you and delay questioning until we can figure this mess out," Maverick muttered starting the vehicle.

"Is this thing going to go faster than a jeep?" Lee asked as Maverick started the vehicle.

"It will by the time I'm finished with it. Hold on." Maverick pushed the accelerator to the floor and the vehicle set off with a lurch and screech of tyres. "Charlie give me your hat."

Charlie handed up his hat while Maverick whipped off his officer's one and put it on.

The MP's saw them and immediately gave chase. Tyres squealed as they threw the vehicle into a tight turn.

Lee glanced back, "Here they come, stay down Charlie."

"It's a bit hard to get up when you've got your boot on me, Sir."

Lee grinned and kept watch on the MP's while Maverick drove like a crazy man careening all round the base and loving it. Lee could see the big grin on his face as he dodged around a corner and whizzed under a plane, almost mowing down four unsuspecting trainee pilots.

"Oh damm!" Maverick suddenly cried out.

"What?" Lee asked.

"Iceman's not here today to run over. You got your ID and keys on you?"

"Yeap."

"Next stop your car and get Charlie off the base."

"No worries. Man, Tom's going to have a fit at this, not to mention what Maddie will do to us."

"Ahh it'll lighten their day," Maverick said.

"Stay down, Charles!" Lee commanded, "Where do you want me to stash him?"

"Give him to Karen."

"Tom's wife?" His face was full of disbelief.

"Yeah, they can't find something that's right under their noses and Karen'll love it. She needs a bit of excitement in her life."

"What are you going to do?"

"Stall the sexy Madison Harris of course!" Maverick's grin got wider and Lee shook his head, reading his partner like a book.

"Gotcha."

Maverick stopped the Cochroach and the boys got out. Lee jumped in his car with Charlie whilst Maverick drove off in the Cockroach, abandoning the vehicle five minutes later. He ran straight back into their building relieved they'd managed to get a pretty good lead on the MP's.

"I didn't know Mitchell could drive like that," Charlie commented as Lee drove out of the parking lot, flashing ID's at the guard to the car park.

"He's a pilot, what do you expect?" He turned onto the road that led to base housing breaking the fastest land speed record in three seconds.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Captain Mitchell just what do you think you are doing? Maddie stood in the doorway of her makeshift office, frowning. Maverick was seated in her chair, feet up on the desk reading a file. No doubt it was classified.

She had only stepped out for a minute.

"Waiting for you," Maverick replied calmly.

"Uh-huh, why?" She strode in, snatched the file out of his hands and closed it.

"Well I thought we might have dinner one night this week, get to know each other a little better?" Maverick made no move to leave the chair.

At that moment the phone rang and Maddie quickly answered it. She turned her back on Maverick and spoke quietly. Maverick heard enough to know it was the MP's reporting Charlie was missing, feared kidnapped. Maddie hung up the phone, sighing and turning to look at him, the folder clasped tightly in her hand.

"Don't you have some instructors to oversee or a suspect to return?" She glared at him.

"In a minute, so how about it?" Maverick ignored most of the question.

"How about what?"

"Dinner with me, Friday night?"

"I'll think about it."

"I'm not moving until you agree to have dinner with me or kiss me, whichever you prefer."

"Oh for god's sake." Maddie grabbed the front of his shirt and practically lifted him from the chair before planting a kiss on his mouth.

At the slightest pressure she felt him respond and his arms wrap around her pulling her in close. She struggled to get away but he held her tight and the longer the kiss went on the harder it was for her to break away. Eventually she wrenched herself away from him with an indignant, "Captain Mitchell!"

"Yes Ma'am?" Maverick still kept his arms around her and his eyes glowed with mischief and excitement.

"I really don't think this is appropriate behaviour for two officer's, especially during work hours, do you?"

Maverick laughed, "Put a uniform on you and you go all prissy on me. I like it."

"Prissy? What the hell is a word like prissy?"

"A pretty good one from where I'm standing. I reckon after spending four days with me you'd be a bit more friendlier besides wasn't it you just then that kissed me?"

"I reckon after spending four days with you, you'd know how to stay out of my way and let me do my job."

"By the way, I read your file, he didn't do it." Maverick paid no attention to her rantings.

"Now how would you know something like that?"

"I just do."

"Well if he didn't do it, where the hell is he then?"

"Visiting my CO's wife, Karen, your sister will have the address." He started to walk away up the corridor.

"Captain?!" Maddie called after him but Maverick kept walking. "Captain?!" She chased after him.

"Come back for more kissing have we?" Maverick asked amused, "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me." He backed her up against the nearest wall and trailed a finger down over the soft smooth skin of her cheek and neck.

"Capatin Mitchell!"

"Yes Ma'am," He looked deep into her eyes practically holding her captive.

The thing that frightened Maddie most of all was that she couldn't careless about the case and that she did want Maverick to kiss her again.

"Do you think I'm some sort of idiot?"

"No Ma'am."

"Then why feed me some crap about hiding a suspect at your CO's house?"

"Because it's true."

"Yeah right, I don't suppose you had something to do with Chief Petty Officer Cooper going missing this morning did you? You were last seen talking to him."

"If I say no, would you still kiss me?" He gently touched his lips to hers in an inviting manner and felt the beginnings of a response.

"Captain Mitchell!" Commander Tom Crofts voice boomed down the corridor. He was not a happy man.

"Later blue eyes," Maverick whispered to Maddie, as he stood and let her go. "Yes sir?"

"In my office! Now!"

Maverick followed Tom into the office leaving a very weak-kneed confused Maddie in the hallway. It took her a good couple of hours to collect her thoughts and determine how she was going to find the Chief Petty Officer. She didn't believe for a second that he was at Karen's house but decided to call by just to make sure.

**Lee**

"Hey Karen, need a favour from you?"

"What's that Lee?" Karen asked opening the front door at his knock. She was dressed demurely for a change in a skirt and decent top. She led them through to the living room after closing the door.

"Need you to hide someone for me, just till Maverick and I get off work."

"It's not some General's daughter who happens to be a piece of jailbait is it?"

Lee gave her a sarcastic smile, "If it was I'd be hiding her in my bed. No this is Chief Petty Officer Cooper, he's in charge of mine and Maverick's plane."

"Ah and you want me to hide him because?"

"Because circumstantial evidence is going to put him in Leavenworth-"

"Lee I'm not harbouring a criminal!"

"He's not a criminal, well not yet. Come on Karen, Mav and I need your help until we can get things worked out, surely you could do that for me?"

"Lee don't start with those looks."

"Please? I'll get you that nice little DVD that comes with all those kinky gadgets. Please? Do it for me?"

"Oh all right but if you-"

"Karen? Honey, where are you?" Tom's voice called through the house as he let himself in the front door.

"Quick! Upstairs and don't make a sound."

The boys took off as Karen walked back into the front entry to greet her husband. Before she could blink she was lifted clean off her feet, thrown over his shoulder and carried upstairs, two at a time.

"Tom! What are you doing?!" She half laughed, half admonished.

"What does it look like?" He grinned at her as he lowered her to her feet and grabbed the bottom of her shirt. He tore it upwards ripping it open and scattering buttons everywhere.

"Tom! Stop that!" She laughed as he pushed her back on the bed and started nibbling at her neck, running his hands over her lace bra. "Tom!" Karen cried weakly giving in to him.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Charlie looked at Lee in the closet.

"Don't say a word Charles. This is all I need, an inside view of my CO's love life. Shit!" Lee whispered very quietly. The doors of the closet were slatted providing not only hearing but also viewing pleasure.

Charlie was grinning from ear to ear, he was having a great day. Kidnapped and now he got to watch porn and he didn't even have to pay for it.

"Cut it out, idiot!" Lee swiped at Charlie, both of them turned as they heard a strange noise and Karen started moaning with pleasure. Lee groaned and hid his head in some clothes when his phone started to vibrate. He quickly answered it before it rang and interrupted the husband and wife.

"Mav, what are we doing?" Lee whispered, not that it mattered. Karen was making enough noise to wake the dead.

"Oh yuck! That's disgusting! Can you imagine doing that with a girl?" Charlie whispered beside him. "Wonder how often he comes home for his lunchtime snack?"

"Shut up!" Lee glared at him.

"Where are you Lee?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you but I am at Karen's."

"Okay, I've just been blasted by Tom for hitting on the JAG Officer-"

"She's related to Ashley, she can handle it."

"My thoughts exactly. Now the MP's are scaling the base looking for Charlie. He's pretty safe where he is for now but we've got to try and get him to our place as soon as possible."

"How the hell are we going to hide him there, Maddie's staying with us?"

"We'll hide him in the attic."

"Hey sir, check this out!" Charlie tugged on his sleeve and pointed at the action on the bed.

Lee groaned again, this was not happening!!

"Looks interesting, maybe you should try it sometime," Lee hissed back at Charlie.

"Where are you Lee?"

"I told you, I'm at Karen's."

"Doing what? Everything's sounds so muffled."

"Yeah well, that's because I'm in her closet."

"Her closet?"

"Yeah Tom came home."

Maverick started laughing.

"Mitchell its not funny, we're stuck and you wouldn't believe some of the stuff they- Oh god no, they aren't are they? Oh hell they are. Eeeewwwww!"

Both Lee and Charlie turned their faces away so they wouldn't have to see anymore.

"Sander's just get your ass back here and stop purving on the CO and his wife, we're in enough trouble as it is."

"No kidding, I'll be there as soon as I can." Lee hung up the phone and cautiously turned back to the bedroom scene.

"I didn't think half of what they were doing was possible sir."

"It is, if you know what you're doing."

'I'll never be able to look at either of them in the same way ever again,' Lee thought to himself as the two started to calm down. Tom lifted his drowsy wife off his hips and rolled off the bed. He stood up and stretched giving Lee and Charlie a naked full frontal view.

"That I really didn't need to see," Lee muttered hiding his laughter in the clothing.

Half an hour later, Maverick was just about rolling on the floor of their office with laughter as Lee described what had happened.

"Oh go Karen," Maverick laughed.

"The worst thing was Charlie's tugging on my sleeve every two minutes saying 'look at this.' I'll never be able to look at my CO normally again that's for sure."

"Sounds like you've had a hell of a day Captain."

"You're not wrong. How did it go with Maddie?"

"I told her the truth." Maverick told him while trying to get his laughter under control.

"What truth?"

"We stashed him at Karen's place."

"Oh great! I hope she didn't believe you?"

"Nah the look on her face was priceless. It said, 'what sort of an idiot would do that?'"

"Let's hope she keeps thinking that way."

"Well if she doesn't Charlie will just have to hide in the closet again."

Both boys burst into hysterics that took quite sometime to get back under control.

"Oh this is too good, what did you tell Charlie's CO?" Lee wiped tears from his eyes.

"Told him the truth, Charlie had been called in for an interview with the JAG Officer. Does Karen know about where you were hiding?"

"Nope, she was half asleep on the bed when we crept out. Charlie made himself comfortable downstairs and I came back here."

By three that afternoon, Tom had returned and ordered the guys to report to the office. Waiting for them was Charlie's CO, Luitennant Bassington and Maddie.

"Now what is this about Petty Officer Cooper having been kidnapped?" Tom demanded.

"Kidnapped?" Maverick echoed in surprise.

"You heard me, kidnapped."

"Permission to speak Sir?" Maverick politely requested.

"Speak by all means."

"Sir, Lee and I had found a rather interesting project over at one of the base houses and asked Charlie if he could check the mechanical side out for us. He had a spare five minutes so he accompanied Lee to have a look."

"Uh-huh," Tom gave them both a look that read, 'do you think I'm an idiot?' "And your wearing of Petty Officer's Cooper's hat had nothing to do with the fact you were hiding him?"

"Sir, your sources must be mistaken. I did not at any time swap hats with the Chief Petty Officer, I had him hold mine, afraid it would blow off in the wind but I did not at any stage exchange hats with him."

"So what is this project that you two have found?"

"It's a dune buggy sir." Lee stated.

"A dune buggy? What is that?"

"It's an Australian term for a four wheel vehicle that travels over sand dunes and along beaches, purely a recreational thing."

"Uh-huh, so you two idiots," He glared at them, "Kidnapped Petty Officer Cooper to look at one of these contraptions?"

"Yes Sir." Lee answered.

"So where the hell is he now?!" Commander Crofts roared.

"Sir, the Petty Officer informed me he would make his own way back to base after we finished looking at the Dune Buggy. I have no idea where he is."

"I guess I'd better declare my Petty Officer AWOL," Luitennant Bassington added not looking to happy. "Did he say anything at all to you two as to where or what he was doing after you left him?"

"No sir," Lee replied.

"The boy's young granted but I didn't think he'd be this irresponsible."

"Sir, permission to speak Sir?" Maverick asked.

"Yes alright, what is it?"

"Sir if I was nineteen and found out I was the centre of a JAG investigation I'd be scared Sir. Maybe it's not so much as he's AWOL but he's hiding because he's afraid."

"Or maybe he's hiding because he's got something to hide?" Maddie spoke up amused by Maverick's remark. "Destroying evidence maybe?" She asked cocking an eyebrow at him. "And what sort of wild goose chase was that sending me to Commander Crofts house?"

Tom's eyebrows just about shot off his head in surprise at the mention of his home.

"I didn't send you to the Commander's house. I told you where I thought he was-"

"Captain Mitchell and Commander Harris, I can assure you both that at no time was Petty Officer at my residence anytime today!" Tom roared and they all cringed. "I have no idea where you people come up with these idea's but I think you'd better be dammed sure of your fact's before involving my wife in what appears to be a serious matter. Do I make myself clear, Commander?"

"Yes Sir." Maddie glared daggers at Maverick while Lee suppressed a smile over Tom's tirade.

"Besides, whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?" Maverick retorted glaring straight back at her.

"In my experience there's no such thing, not with the amount of evidence piling up against him. Quite honestly going AWOL at this time is one of the worst things he could have done. Now he looks all the more likely to have committed the crime."

"You lawyers are all the same, aren't you? Get enough circumstantial evidence and you're off to hang them from the yard arm. Well what about him? What about his rights? He does have some-"

"Captain Mitchell that is enough!" Tom blasted his senior instructor.

"My apologies Sir."

"Right, there isn't much I can do about Petty Officer Cooper but there is plenty I can do about you two. If I find out that either of you had a hand in the Petty Officer's disappearance I will personally have your wings, do I make myself clear?!"

"Yes sir!"

"Good, now get out!"

The boys left very quickly.

"I apologize for my men's behavior Ms Harris; they are not normally this disruptive."

"Thank you sir."

"Ms Harris?" Lieutenant Bassington spoke up.

"Sir?"

"Could we possibly hold off declaring the Petty Officer AWOL for a couple of days? I have a feeling if I could find him I may be able to allay his fears if that is the problem?"

Maddie sighed, "Alright, you have forty eight hours before I go back to the MP's."

"Thank you Ma'am."

They left the office and I looked at Tom who gave me a look that said, 'has everyone gone looney or something?'

"Coffee sir?"

"Love some, thank you Ashley."

I went and got his coffee.

"Ashley?" Tom spoke as I placed his coffee on his desk.

"Yes Sir?"

"What do you think about all this? Do you think those two are up to something or what they said is true?"

"Well they don't have anything to gain by kidnapping and hiding the Petty Officer and they aren't doing themselves any favours because if they get caught they can kiss their careers goodbye, so in all honesty, I do believe them."

"Then why did they run when the MP's chased them?"

"For fun sir? A lark? Liven up the day? That sort of thing. You know what they're like, its their cooping mechanism with stress or pressure."

"Hmmm that is so true and they would see something like that as a bit of fun, a way to blow off steam."

"Exactly."

"Well, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt this time but if they are involved-"

"I think they know what to expect sir."

What a day for all of us!!


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

**That Evening….**

"He dammed well kissed me!" Maddie slammed the cupboard door. "The nerve of him! Th-the cheek! How dare he!" Bang went the fry pan and even I cringed at the sound. "And it wasn't just the once either!" Maddie glared at the fry pan as she dumped the mince into it. "And then he goes and kidnaps my prime suspect! Not that I can prove it mind you!"

I sat at the table highly amused, watching her. I had never seen her so steamed up over being kissed. "Are you upset because he kissed you or because you think he stole your suspect?"

"Kidnapped Ashley, the boy was kidnapped and I am upset because he shouldn't have done it! His behaviour was totally inappropriate!"

"I know Tom chewed him out for a good fifteen minutes on that one."

"Ashley, why is Maddie banging things?" Darry asked coming into the kitchen and climbing up on a chair beside me to watch as she slam-dunked the pasta into a pot of boiling water. The poor tomato's were next as she started chopping them to death.

"Because you're father kissed her, not once but twice." I grinned at the kid.

"Told you Dad would like her." Darry grinned back equally as smug.

"Yeah well I don't like it! He had no right!" Maddie exploded listening to our conversation.

"So you've said. Wow! I've never seen you so mad over a couple of little kisses."

"They weren't just a couple of little kisses," She snapped.

"Did he pash you?" Darry asked.

"Darry!" I cried alarmed at the sudden question from the youngster.

Maddie didn't answer but her face was an interesting shade of pink.

"Oh he does like you. He doesn't go around pashing just any girl. The last one he did that too was my mum."

"Darry that's enough out of you, why don't you go upstairs and finish your homework."

"Can't, it's already done."

"Okay, well go watch TV."

"Can't, it's gone."

"What do you mean by gone?"

"It's not there anymore."

I got up and walked into the living room with Darry and Maddie following me. The spot where the TV sat was empty.

"Well I'll be dammed, where did it go?"

Darry shrugged, "The DVD Player's gone too and some of Dad's top shelf movies."

Suddenly both of us were looking at Maddie and she read us like a book.

"Oh no! No way! Not after the ruckus he's caused me today, that's for sure!" She stormed back into the kitchen.

"She sounds like a hen-pecked wife already," I mused out loud. "Quick Darry run upstairs and check your Dad's and Lee's rooms."

"Okay." He took off.

Maddie was chopping onions and basil with all the ferocity of an axe murderer, "If he thinks two kisses is going to get me into his bed he is sadly mistaken! No way am I going to fall for that! The nerve of him!"

"You've already said that," I remarked mildly.

"So? I'll say it again and again and again if I have too!"

"They aren't there," Darry stated coming back into the kitchen.

"Are the boys home at all?" I asked him.

"Yeah, their uniforms are in their usual heaps on the floors."

"I wonder where they've gotten too?"

"They might have gone for a run or something."

"With the TV and DVD Player? I doubt it."

"Well if he never comes back it'll be too soon!" Maddie dumped the onions and herbs in with the mince and started to stir.

Darry and I looked at each other still amused, "She likes him doesn't she?" Darry whispered to me quietly. I nodded and we watched as she stirred the Sphagetti sauce to death.

"What?!" Maddie asked crossly when she felt our eyes on her.

"Nothing," Darry and I replied innocently.

"Come on Darry, let's go play catch with that new glove Mav bought you."

"Alright!" Darry jumped up and ran to get his baseball and glove. It wasn't long before we were engaged in a great game of catch in the yard.

Upstairs in the attic the three guys were looking at each other also amused. There was part of a floorboard missing that looked straight down into the kitchen and they could see and hear everything.

The TV and DVD Player plus movies was now in the attic so Charlie would have something to watch, trouble was they didn't have a second TV or player.

"She's a Kazanski girl that's for sure," Maverick laughed.

"Yeah no wonder her husband divorced her, she probably rode rough shod over him that many times he was too afraid to get up." Lee laughed.

"Maybe you should go down and kiss her again Sir," Charlie suggested.

"While she's got a hot fry pan in her hands? No way, I'm not that stupid." Maverick laughed. "But it sure is good knowing I'm the cause of the temper."

"Now you know why I love annoying Ashley, it's a good feeling isn't it?"

"Oh yeah. Can't wait to get things to the stage where you kiss and make up can you imagine it?"

"A bit like the CO and his wife this afternoon, right sir?" Charlie asked.

Maverick and Lee looked at each other for a moment, "Better!" They both cried at the same time.

"Better?" Charlie looked dumbfounded.

"Ah Charles, you'll learn, you've got a long way to go yet." Lee laughed giving the guy a rub on his shoulder.

"You be right up here for awhile, Lee and I had better go put some damage control preventions into place."

"Yeah I'll be fine." Charlie settled back on his makeshift bed and picked up the magazine the boys had brought for him. "Oh and sir? Can I have some of that Sphagetti for dinner?"

"I'll see what I can do."

The boys crept out of the attic, downstairs and out the front door.

Twenty minutes later they were home with an explanation of borrowing the TV and DVD Player for one of their lectures. When I quizzed Maverick on where his 'top shelf' DVD's went he told me he'd lent them to Tom and Karen. This sent Lee into sudden hysterics.

Maddie and Maverick stayed well away from each other which gave Lee and I a bit of entertainment.

It was hard sleeping that night as next door's TV was up so loud I could hear it through the walls. Every now and again there'd be footsteps and a board or two would creak. I made a mental note to tell the boys in the morning to be a bit quieter.

Maddie and I came downstairs in the morning to find an extra plate, cup and the milk left out on the bench. A spillage of coffee ran over the bench too.

Darry had jumped in with his Dad at some time during the night, thoroughly convinced we had ghosts.

Charlie was restless hanging around the attic and was starting to feel guilty about not showing up for work or the fact that no one knew where he was. He also didn't want to get his friends in trouble and he knew for a fact they were already taking some flak over his disappearance. Charlie sighed, got dressed back in his uniform and reported into work. No sooner had he arrived than he was interviewed by the JAG Officer. He was careful not to say too much but to give her enough information to keep her happy.

Now he could settle down to catching the saboteur and stolen parts thief himself, with his friends help.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

**Tuesday Afternoon**

The sun was warm as I heard the familiar bugle tune of the last post and watched the coffin being lowered into the ground.

Tears burned in my eyes and I hastily swallowed but couldn't due to the lump in my throat. My friend was gone and it hurt.

"Are you okay?" Lee whispered from beside me.

I shook my head and leaned against him. He wrapped his arm around me and I turned my face away from the lowering of the coffin, burying it in his black jacketed shoulder. We both wore our black and gold dress uniforms.

Finally it was over and the crowd started to break up. Leanne, with Gary's CO escorting her, moved through the crowd thanking everyone and inviting them back to her house for supper.

"Ashley," She gave me a watery smile and clasped my hands in hers. "I am really glad you made it."

"Wouldn't have missed it. How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay, Silencer here has been a huge help. Silencer this is Ashley, she grew up with Gary."

"Pleasure to meet you Ma'am. Gary has spoken about you at different times." Silencer shook my hand.

"Must have been when he was drunk and talking about all the trouble we used to get into." I smiled weakly at him.

"Ashley you will come back to the house won't you? I have some stuff that Gary wanted you to have."

"Yeah, sure, of course I will. Oh Leanne this is Captain Sanders, he's my housemate and came along for moral support."

"How nice for you, it's nice to meet you Captain."

"Call me Lee and I'm sorry to hear about your loss."

"Thank you, please call me Leanne, just so we don't get our names muddled up." She laughed hollowly. The pain of loosing Gary shining brightly in her eyes. "You do remember where the house is don't you Ashley?"

"Yes, I'll see you there."

"Okay." She gave me another watery smile and suddenly turned away, searching in her bag for something. Silencer took her arm and tucked it through his leading her away to the waiting cars. He continued to pat her hand and she leant on his arm quietly crying.

"Aunty Ashley!" Four year old blonde Gemma launched herself into my arms as I walked into the house.

"Hey Gemma, haven't you grown." I gave the little girl a hug.

"I'm four now." She held up four fingers.

"Four? No, that can't possibly be right, you can't be four."

"Well I am."

"Yeah? Wow, that's way too old for me."

Gemma giggled, "You're funny Aunty Ashley."

"Well at least I'm not boring."

"Aunty Ashley?"

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

"My Daddy's dead. He's gone to join god in heaven."

"Yes I know, Honey."

"The bad men shot him."

"They certainly did. Hey, have you met my friend? He's a captain."

"Captain of what?"

"A whole collection of Luitennants, Lee, this is Gemma, Gary's youngest daughter."

"Hello Gemma, its very nice to meet you." He shook her little hand and Gemma laughed delightedly.

"Gemma where are you?" Leanne called suddenly appearing in the hallway.

"Here Mum."

"Oh good you got here, I was beginning to get worried. Everyone's out the back on the patio. Gemma, where's your sisters?"

"Don't know, don't care."

"Gemma?" Leanne asked in a warning voice.

"Suzie's in her room but I don't know where Rebecca is."

"Alright, thank you. Why don't you go and show Ashley and her friend outside?"

"Okay, its that way." She pointed down the corridor refusing to leave my arms while Leanne went on the hunt for her other two daughters.

Rebecca was seventeen and as moody and as difficult as a teenager could possibly get. It didn't help that all her father's co-workers hung around the house and she was in love with every single one of them.

Suzie was ten and caught in the middle. She was smart, serious and repeatedly told everyone she was not going to grow up stupid like her sister. She would do things differently. Leanne shook her head and gave her a 'we'll see' look.

The afternoon passed by pleasantly and Gemma hardly left my side. If I sat down she climbed onto my lap, if I walked anywhere she held my hand. Once word got around I was Gary's childhood friend I was inundated with big strong men wanting to get to know me. It was all of his Special Forces team mates.

"Hi Aunty Ashley," a shy voice beside me spoke, interrupting a conversation. I excused myself and turned to the ten year old beside me.

"Hi Suzie, how are you?"

"Alright," She mumbled. The eyes behind the glasses were red-rimmed. "Rebecca doesn't even care that he's never coming back."

"I'm sure she does it's just she's older and well, let's just say, they don't show their emotions as well as you and Gemma."

"All she does is sit in her room and listen to her ipod. I wrote a poem about Dad, do you want to read it?"

"Sure I'd love too."

"It's in my room, I'll go and get it." Suzie took off inside.

"Looks like you're a favourite with these girls," Lee observed.

"Yeah we get on well. I'm godmother to every single one of them and I was there for both Suzie and Gemma's births. Rebecca however, is a different story. Gary was a family friend and when her parents didn't want her anymore he took her in and adopted her. He might have been trained to kill but by god he loved children."

At that moment Suzie appeared by my side with a sheet of notebook paper in hand. I read through the poem and was moved by the words and emotion she had put into it. "Suzie this is really very, very good."

"You think so?"

"Yes I do, do you think I could keep it?"

"If you want too," she shrugged, "I have lots more so I can't say I'll miss it."

"Thank you, it's just beautiful." I gave her a hug and she giggled before running off to join some other's and play.

"Two down, one to go," I smiled at Lee.

"Feeling better now?" He asked me.

"Yeah, the kids have helped. I'm going to go inside and get a drink would you like one?"

Lee nodded and I led him into the coolness of the house. It was much quieter inside as I helped myself to a glass of cold water.

"Ashley?"

"Hi Rebecca," I turned at the sound of my name. "Are you okay?"

She nodded although her eyes were clouded over with doubt. "I can't cry, Ashley, Dad wouldn't want me too. He said I had to be tough."

"Do you want to cry?" She shrugged not saying anything. "Well if you do I promise not to think of you as weak and I don't think your Dad would mind either. God knows I spent enough hours crying on his shoulder."

"Thank you." She half smiled.

"Are you going to come out and join everyone? I'm sure they'd like to see you."

Rebecca shrugged, "I guess so."

"Come on, you can tell me which one is the best out of the Sniper team." I laughed slipping my arm through hers and moving towards the sliding glass doors. "Now which one do you like?"

Lee followed on quietly watching. Gemma was scoffing down some cake that she loved.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Lee and I gave Leanne a hand with cleaning up after most of the guests had gone. Gary's Sniper team had moved on to a nearby club where they could toast and drink to their dead partner for as long as they liked. Silencer went with them to make sure they didn't get into any trouble.

"What a day." Leanne sighed wiping her hands on a tea-towel. "I saw you talking to Rebecca? I hope she wasn't too difficult with you?"

"She was fine, we chatted about the Sniper team."

"Oh Ashley, don't encourage her." Leanne rolled her eyes. "They're all far too old and experienced for her and I really wish she'd give up the hope of ever dating one of them. Why can't she find a nice military brat her own age?"

"Leanne, she's a seventeen year old girl and doing what every normal seventeen year old does, dreaming. I know I did, it's what makes them teenagers. You worry too much."

"Maybe but I see how those guys treat her, she's like their little sister. They don't take her seriously and I'm afraid when she works it out, she's going to get hurt."

"Quite possibly, but isn't that all part of growing up? How many times did you go out with someone because you thought he was perfect and he ended up being nothing like you expected?"

"Alright, point taken," Leanne sighed. "Teenagers. Are you hungry? Shall I fix us some dinner?"

I looked at her kitchen table covered with left over food. "I reckon we're pretty right for now. So what did Rambo leave me?"

Leanne giggled as she left the room to go and get it.

Lee was watching TV and playing some game with Suzie and Gemma. He looked so comfortable stretched out on the floor playing with the kids. 'He'd make a wonderful Dad,' I thought to myself. Suddenly he looked up and caught me watching him, he gave me a wink and turned back to the game.

"Here we go," Leanne said returning with a shoe box and a black leather case. She laid them on the bench in front of me. Most of the stuff was photos and yearbooks from high school. There were a few letters, old invitations to various events we had attended and his dog tags.

"You don't want to keep these?" I asked holding up the dog tags.

Leanne shook her head, "I'd rather not, if that's okay with you?"

"Its fine," I smiled reassuringly and looked at the long leather case. It had me intrigued.

It had been well looked after and I was almost afraid to touch it in case I messed up its clean surface. Slowly I undid the catches. On a bed of black foam lay his sniper rifle.

"I thought this was buried with him?" I looked at Leanne confused.

"He had two, this one was for ceremonies, hence why it's not painted camouflage colours like the other one was. This one was his baby, the other one he was fond of but it didn't have as much importance as this one. He made me promise faithfully every time he went out that if anything happened to him I would give it to you."

"Oh boy, this is too much." I ran my hands along its clean shiny surface as the tears trickled down my cheeks. Suddenly I closed the leather case and ran outside. I wanted to keep running but couldn't because of the fences so I threw myself down in the soft grass and cried like I would never stop.

Leanne made to go after me but Lee quickly leapt up off the floor and stopped her. "Let her go, she needs to let it all out and she won't do it if someone's there."

Leanne nodded and they watched me through the sliding glass door.

**Midnight**

"Can't sleep?" Lee asked from the other bed in the motel room we shared.

"Nope," I sighed and flopped over onto my back for the hundredth time. "Why do you think he left me that rifle?"

"Because it means a lot to him and he felt you would look after it with the care and attention it deserves."

"Don't know why, its not like we were married or anything."

"Why didn't things work out between you two? You said it wasn't from lack of trying."

"We went out a couple of times, proper dates and while we had a good time we always felt like there was something missing. When he met Leanne all he said was, 'Now I know the reason why we never worked out.'"

"Didn't have that special something huh?"

"Something like that. Still he was a good friend and he helped me out during some rough times which I appreciated."

"Well think of that rifle as a reward for your friendship to him."

"But I don't need to be rewarded or reminded."

"Yes you do. You need to be reminded that nothing is for ever and at the click of a gun everything can change. It meant something to him, treasure it and treasure the fact that he wants to share it with you. Leanne's very nice.'

"Yeah she is but she's got a real mean streak in her. You should have seen her when she found out Gary's best friend was a girl. Boy didn't I cop it. I don't know how many times I had to hold Maddie back from going to her place and punching her out."

Lee chuckled in the dark, "I think after what I saw yesterday I imagine that would have been hard."

"And you didn't even see the peak of her temper yesterday. The poor old sphagetti Bolognese took a real beating."

Lee laughed again, "Maybe I should have warned you Maverick is a rather active ratbag."

"I think she worked that out. So who taught who?"

"Who taught who what?"

"Who taught who to be the active ratbag?"

"I'm not an active ratbag, I just know what I like."

"Oh no? You don't call dumping me in the shower or tricking me with phone calls so you could eat my breakfast being a ratbag?"

"Nope, that was just payback." Lee chuckled again and I flung my pillow at him in the dark. "Just what I need, another pillow."

'Oh bugger!' I quietly cursed him under my breath. "Lee?"

"Mmmmmh?"

"Can I have my pillow back please?"

"Nope, you want it you come and get it."

"Forget it."

"What's wrong Ashley, do I frighten you?"

"Nope, I can't be bothered getting out of my nice warm bed."

"Ah so I do frighten you."

"You do not!"

"I must since you haven't been joining me in the bathroom of late." He referred to his attempt at seducing me a little while ago.

"Let's just say I learn't my lesson."

"Really? What lesson was that?"

"Not to go anywhere near you when you're half naked."

"Ah that's why you won't come and get your pillow. You're afraid I might try and seduce you again. What a lovely thought, I'll keep it in mind."

"Lee!"

"Yes Ashley?"

"You're not funny."

"Wasn't trying to be."

"Ohhhhh!"

Lee laughed again.

Half an hour later Lee was asleep but I was still awake. I figured with him asleep I'd be safe enough to get up and get my pillow back. How come he ended up with the double bed anyway?

Quietly I slid out of the single bed, right next to his and leaned over his sleeping form, searching for a spare pillow. My hand closed around the corner of one and I gave it a gentle tug, it came away freely. 'Thank god he's not using it.'

I looked down and in the outside light filtering into the room I could see one eye was open watching me.

"You're awake?"

"Yeap!" One arm clamped around my wrist, the other around my waist as he pulled me down, with a squeal, onto the bed beside him.

"I thought you were asleep." I muttered not really wanting to move. His nearness and scent were paralyzing.

"I'm a light sleeper, especially when pretty girls lean across my bed in the middle of the night."

"Okay well you've had your fun, you can let me go now."

"If I let you go, I keep the pillow."

"No way."

"Yes way. You gave it to me, its mine. Finder's keepers." He poked his tongue out at me.

"I did not give it to you. I threw it at you."

"Same thing."

"Ohhh would you stop being so difficult!"

"That's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black if I ever heard."

"Not funny."

"It wasn't meant to be."

It was my turn then to stick my tongue out at him.

"Are you going to let me go?" I asked actually starting to feel a little cold.

"I don't know, do you want me too?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I'm cold."

"Oh I can fix that."

Before I could blink, I had been lifted and slipped underneath the blankets.

"How did you do that?" I asked surprised at the adeptness of the move.

He chuckled, "Magic and plenty of practice."

"Oh of course, well, I didn't come here for 'plenty of practice.'

Lee laughed all the more. "Now are you really sure you want me to let you go?" He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on an elbow, running a finger down the side of my cheek.

"Lee!"

"Yes Ashley?" He leant his head down and with the lightest of touches trailed his lips along my jaw.

"You're making this very hard."

"What's hard?"

"Resisting you."

"Then don't. Relax and enjoy it. You know you want too." His lips rested millimeters from mine and quickly he bent down and gave them a little nip. The move brought an involuntary groan from deep inside and I knew I wouldn't be able to resist him anymore.

Slowly I brought my hand up and gently touched his face. His eyes closed enjoying my touch as he turned his head slightly to kiss the palm of my hand.

No words were spoken as he took my hand away from his face and held it in his, the whole time his eyes held mine. Our fingers entwined as he kissed the hollow at the base of my throat, slowly working his way up my neck. My other hand lay trapped underneath him so all I could do was wait to see what he would do. It was exciting.

"Enjoying?" He whispered kissing my ear and the side of my face.

"Uh-huh." I whispered back turning my head giving him better access.

"Still want to go back to your own bed?" He laughed quietly.

"No."

"Good." He lifted our clasped hands and rubbed the back of mine against his cheek before kissing it. He looked back at me smiling and before I could blink his mouth settled over mine in a gentle but insistent kiss.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The sound of a high pitched ring woke me from my deep sleep. For a minute or two I had no idea where I was but then I remembered. I picked up the phone and clutched the tangled sheet tightly to me.

"Hello?"

"Ashley its Leanne, Rebecca's gone." Leanne's panicked voice came across the line.

"What do you mean gone?"

At that moment the door to the bathroom opened and Lee appeared with a towel wrapped around and riding low on his hips.

"I went to wake her this morning to ask her to mind Gemma and Suzie but her bed was empty. It hasn't been slept in so I checked her closet, most of her stuff is gone. Oh god Allison what am I going to do?" Leanne burst into tears on the other end.

Right at the moment I felt Lee's mouth starting to kiss the back of my shoulder.

"Can you think of anywhere she might go?" I pushed him away but he came back. "Maybe there was a place she always talked about?" I gave Lee a shove so he proceeded to pull the sheet slowly off me, making me clutch it tighter.

"I-I don't think so, I don't know."

"Okay, have you rung her friends they might have an idea." I glared at Lee and we wrestled with the sheet between us. He pulled and I tugged. He smiled, I glared.

"I could try."

"You do that." I gave Lee a filthy look, prised the sheet out of his hands and pushed him away again. "I'll get dressed and be right there."

"Thanks Ashley."

"That's alright." I replied and as I hung the phone up my mouth was engulfed in a startling kiss. "Lee."

"Mmmmm?" He started nibbling on my neck as I turned my head away from him.

"Cut it out. I've got to get dressed and over to Leanne's, Rebecca's gone."

"Uh-huh."

"Lee I'm serious." I pulled away from him and managed to get up off the bed taking the sheet with me.

"No kidding." He lay back with a groan. "Alright, what are we doing?"

"I'm going to have a quick shower, get dressed and get over to Leanne's, hopefully one of her friends might have an idea where she's gone."

"How long has she been gone?"

"Leanne thinks she left sometime during the night. Her bed hasn't been slept in and most of her stuff's gone."

"If she left last night she could be halfway across the country by now or worse, out of the country."

"Well don't say that in front of Leanne, she's got enough to contend with as it is." I padded into the bathroom and locked the door.

When I emerged five minutes later Lee was dressed and had a cup of coffee waiting for me. Quickly I grabbed some clothes and shut myself back in the bathroom much to Lee's amusement.

"I don't know what your hiding Ashley I saw it all last night."

"Shut up Lee!"

Lee acknowledged the comment with a smile and tilt of the head. It made a nice change from 'shut up Sanders.'

"By the way what happened last night doesn't change anything between us," I muttered emerging from the bathroom brushing my hair.

"Okay, have it your way," Lee replied, not letting on that my statement irritated him.

"Let's go."

**Lee**

'Dammed selfish brat!' Lee thought to himself as he pulled out onto the main interchange. 'Last night was great! Wonderful! Best sex he'd had in a long time and then she pulls some fancy assed statement about it not changing anything. What was the matter with the girl? Didn't she know when something was that good you didn't usually throw it away?'

Lee was annoyed and he floored the rental car like his life depended on it, throwing it sideways around a corner. He couldn't resist a grin of satisfaction as he watched my hand grip the door, my knuckles turning white.

"What the hell are you trying to do, kill me?" She yelled.

He shrugged, changed down a gear to take another corner before speeding back up again.

We made it to Leanne's in almost record time or so he figured.

The crazy woman leapt out of the car before I really stopped and took off up the front walk and inside. He was sorely tempted to drive off and leaver her but he couldn't do it. Now if only they were at home he could tie her to the bed and they wouldn't have this problem. He'd just torture her until she saw his point of view. That's when he realized something inside him had changed. He wanted the rotten red-headed spitfire, temper and all.

"You stay here and look after the girls, Lee can drive me to the bus station." He heard her say as she came out of the house with Leanne following.

"Are you sure? I really should go, she can be hard to talk too sometimes."

"Leanne trust me, I think a strange face is probably going to be a lot better than her own step-mom's. Let me talk to her first and see if I can't find out what's going on."

"Alright as long as you're sure?"

"I'm sure. I'll call you as soon as I find her."

"Okay." Ashley gave the worried girl a hug and jumped back in the car.

"Where to?" He asked her.

"Bus Station is located at 5th Street North East. We're probably going to need a map."

Lee nodded his agreement as h drove towards the downtown Washington area.

He pulled into a gas station where we were able to pick up a map and from there she drove and I directed.

It was easy to find and again the crazy woman was out of the car before I had come to a proper stop. She took off after the wayward teenager while I found a parking station and parked the car.

I couldn't help but take my time walking over to the bus station. He was enjoying the peace now that the red-headed temper tantrum had left them alone. He was still really sore over the remark of 'last night not changing anything between them.'

**Ashley**

I ran through the crowd dodging people and leaping over luggage. The man on the ticket counter told me the bus for Atlanta was leaving in five minutes and that he had sold a ticket to the girl I described.

Finally I reached the gate for the bus to Atlanta just as Rebecca stepped through moving towards the bus.

"Rebecca!" I yelled but she didn't hear her. I pushed through the line to the exit gate, earning some pretty nasty comments when a stewardess stopped me from going through.

"Ticket Ma'am?"

"I don't have one, I need to get to that girl. The blonde one, she's run away from home and her mother's worried sick."

"I'm sure she is Ma'am, but I can't let you through without a ticket."

I turned to the person behind me and snatched the ticket out of his hand.

"Hey you can't do that!" He yelled at me trying to snatch his ticket back.

"I just did, didn't I?" I glared at him shoved the ticket at the stewardess and charged through the exit gates just as Rebecca started to board the bus.

"Rebecca!"

She turned at the sound of her name.

"Rebecca don't do this, please! Come with me and we'll talk, try and work something out."

Rebecca shook her head, tears in her eyes, "I can't Auntie Ashley, I-I have to go."

"Hey Girly, if you're getting on the bus get on otherwise get out of the way." A man pushed rudely past her.

"Sorry," Rebecca muttered. "I'll be fine Auntie Ashley, try not to worry about me too much." She mounted another step making her way inside.

"Alright fine you go but think about this. Would Gary want you to do this? Did he bring you up to runaway when things got tough? I don't think so. How do you think he feels right now, looking down from heaven and seeing what you're trying to do? Do you think he'd be proud of his daughter the quitter?" Rebecca burst into tears and stood there helplessly not knowing what to do while other passengers pushed past. "If you're going to be fine, why are you standing there crying your eyes out and the bus hasn't even left the city yet?"

"Stop it! Please just stop it!" Rebecca cried. "I can't take it and I don't know what to do!"

"Get off the bus, grab you're bags and let's go and talk about this. Maybe we can work out a solution for you that would keep everyone happy." I stepped into the entrance way of the bus. "Come on Bec, what have you got loose? If we can't come up with a solution then I personally will put you on the next bus to Atlanta if that's what you really want?"

"Promise?"

"Promise now come on, you're getting in everyone's way." I held my hand out to her.

After a minute or so she took it and allowed me to help her off the bus. We retrieved her luggage and made our way back inside where the stewardess gave me a filthy look but didn't say anything.

An hour later we pulled up in front of Leanne's with Rebecca.

I had convinced her to come and live with me for awhile in Miramar. It would mean she finished up the last eight months of high school at Miramar but that didn't bother her. She had actually confided in me that she was having problems with some of the people at her old high school and would be glad to change.

While Rebecca and Leanne talked at my urging I organized an extra plane ticket to Miramar with Lee and I.

Lee went back to the Motel and checked out for us as we were scheduled to leave Washington at one that afternoon.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

**Officer's Mess, Friday Afternoon.**

"He bludy well stole my suspect!" Maddie hit the white ball and broke the triangle with a loud crack. "The bastard! He had no right! I've a good mind to have him charged with hindering a case."

"Ah but did he actually steal your suspect? Can you prove it?" I asked, chalking my cue stick and lining up my first shot.

"No I can't bludy well prove it! All I know is my suspect was seen in Lee's car leaving the base. Next thing I know he shows up in our attic. Our attic of all places!"

"I know," I took my second shot and sunk one ball, "He says he needed a place to stay because his room on base was being taken over by others and he was sick of sharing. Maverick and Lee suggested he take up residence in our attic because there was nowhere else to go. How that relates to kidnapping I don't know."

"It relates to kidnapping because no one knew where he went! That is kidnapping! Never mind the fact that they knew where he was the whole time Tom blasted them last Monday and didn't say a word!"

"Would you admit to anything if Tom confronted you in an angry mood?" I asked watching her sink a ball.

"Ashley how can you be so calm and reasonable over this whole thing? It's no wonder Darry thought we had ghosts! The guy is absolutely impossible and I'll be dammed glad to go home!" For the second time in a week Maddie was venting steam over Maverick. "I seriously don't know who the hell that guy thinks he is but if he dares to come anywhere near me or interfere in my case ever again I'm going to-to-"

"What?" I asked walking around the table looking for a good shot.

"I don't know what but I'll think of something."

"I'm sure you will. You know something? In my whole entire life I have never seen you this mad over a man before."

"Can't help it, he just makes me so mad with the way he keeps interfering and distracting me, its annoying."

"He's got the upper hand on you hasn't he?" I sunk one ball and lined up another.

"No he hasn't. I never let anyone get the upper hand, male, female or pilot!"

"He has and you don't know what to do about it because it's never happened before." I took the second shot and missed but sunk another ball on the third shot. "Besides if you were as cool, calm and collected as you say you are; one, you wouldn't be shouting and two, you wouldn't be loosing at pool. You always win but right now I'm ahead of you. Plus the pool balls wouldn't have dents in them either."

"They don't have dents in them Ashley. Be serious would you!"

"I am and they do have dents in them because you keep hitting them so hard."

"Yeah well they all look like that ultra smug pilot you share with and that pisses me off."

"No kidding." I shook my head watching her as she missed sinking any balls on her two turns.

"So what happened between you and Captain Green Eyes in Washington?" She changed the subject which was another sign that she was loosing a battle and didn't like it.

"Absolutely nothing, why do you ask?"

"Oh come on Ashley, I'm not blind. You two have barely spoken two words to each other since you got back."

"I haven't had anything to say to him!" I cried, "Besides I've been busy settling Rebecca in."

"Uh-huh and that's why he keeps looking at you like he wants something but as soon as you turn around he forgets all about it."

"Maddie I don't know what you're talking about. Nothing happened in Washington and that's the way it's going to stay. By the way, game over, I just sunk the black."

"That's alright, lunch beak is over too. So are you sure nothing happened in Washington?"

"Positive, so quit asking."

"Ashley?"

"What?" I snapped as we left the Officer's Mess to go back too work.

"Something did happen didn't it?"

"No it didn't. Now go interview your kidnap victim before I send Captain Mitchell down to help." I glared at her and walked into Tom's and my office.

"Ohhh was he any good?" She asked leaning in the doorway.

"Maddie!"

"Yes?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Get lost!"

"Alright I'm going, bye." She gave me a wink and I could hear her laughing all the way down the hallway. I swear that dammed girl could read my mind!

**Later That Afternoon**

Finally Maddie had the warrant she needed to search the Petty Officer's personal locker. She had already interviewed him but he was sticking rigidly to the 'I'm innocent' scenario. Never mind the fact that the evidence was stacking up against him with three more plane's down during that week. It didn't help that his previous CO, Commander Russell, had informed her that Petty Officer Cooper had a history in the receiving of stolen parts. He had given the Petty Officer benefit of the doubt and moved him on hoping he had learnt from the error of his ways but obviously he hadn't.

Maddie knew he was guilty and it was only a matter of time now before she caught him. All she needed was some evidence.

Maddie locked her small makeshift office and headed out to the hangar where Petty Officer Cooper was working.

"Petty Officer?"

"Yes Ma'am?" He turned to face her, his face not betraying the turmoil he felt every time she called him by his title.

"How are you settling into the new apartment?"

"Fine thanks Ma'am."

During the week while Lee and I had been in Washington, Maverick and Luitennant Bassington had found him a place to stay. It wasn't that Maddie didn't like the guy it was the fact that he was a suspect in a case she was investigating. The worst thing was by six o'clock tonight she hoped to have him behind bars. That was certainly going to upset the home life for her sister.

"Good, glad to hear it. Petty Officer, do you know what this is?" She held up a piece of paper for him to read.

He wiped his hands on a rag and took it from her, reading through it quickly, "A search warrant Ma'am?"

"Yes Petty Officer, I'm here to search your locker and its contents. Would you mind showing me where it is please?"

"No Ma'am." Charlie led the way out of the hangar and over to the building that the service personnel used. He was relieved to see his friends had gone home and the place was more or less deserted.

Charlie unlocked the locker and stood back as Maddie started taking items out one by one. She searched pockets, overnight bag and various other items he kept there.

"Petty Officer, can you tell me what this is please?" She stood up holding the familiar orange plastic in her hands with MNAS stamped all over it.

Charlie felt his career slowly start to slide downhill. He had no idea how the bag had come to be in his locker, what was inside it or how it had gotten there. "It's the orange plastic that spare parts come in Ma'am."

"Can you tell me what's inside?"

"No Ma'am."

"Did you know this was in your locker?"

"No Ma'am."

"So you've never seen it before today, is that correct?"

"Yes Ma'am."

Maddie took out a small pen-knife she kept in her pocket and was about to slit open the orange plastic when a shout echoed through the locker room area.

"Charles! There you are." Lee came striding up. "Oh good you got the parts. Thanks for that. I'll fill out a requisition as soon as I get back to the office so they don't show up stolen."

"Too late sir," Charles indicated Maddie standing by holding the bag.

"Hey Maddie, you helping Charlie here clean up his locker or something?"

"No Captain, I'm not. Captain, do you know what's in this bag?" Maddie showed it to him.

"A whole lot of various sized screws, couple of spark plugs, alternator cap and a few hoses why?"

"And you asked for these?"

"Yes Ma'am, they're for our dune buggy. You can check with Tom and Luitennant Bassington they authorized it, or would you just rather a copy of the request. It's back in my office."

"Where is this dune buggy? Ashley and I haven't seen it."

"No, well, it's un-drivable at the moment, but hopefully by the end of this weekend it should be parked in our garage. That's what the parts are for, to make it go so we can get it home."

"Why don't you just load it on a trailer and tow it?"

"Don't have access to one Ma'am."

"You mean no hire place within thirty miles is going to rent you one."

"Something like that. Can I have the bag please ma'am? Mav's waiting and we got to get going."

"And you knew nothing about this Petty Officer?"

"Sorry Ma'am, I'd forgotten all about it. The week's been a bit hectic with all the downed plane's and Captain Sanders was away when they came in so, I just forgot all about them."

"Come on Lee, what's taking so long?" Maverick strode in to the locker room looking for his partner.

"Got to convince Ashley's sister that Charlie didn't steal any parts."

"Want me to run back and get the note from Tom and stores that we've been okayed to take them off base?"

"Yeah would you?"

"No problem." Maverick turned and started to walk back the way he came.

"Captain Mitchell?" Maddie called after him. "Don't worry about it. It's late in the afternoon, why don't you just provide me with a copy on Monday morning?"

"Sure Ma'am, if that's what you'd like. It'll only take me a minute or so to get it."

"No that's quite alright. Petty Officer, you're free to go and I believe these belong to you." Maddie handed the orange bag to Lee.

"Thank you Ma'am."

"Right Mav let's go, Neil will be waiting."

Both boys hurried out of the building leaving Maddie alone with Charlie.

"Alright Petty Officer you can pack your stuff away but let me warn you, I may not have got you this time but I will. You see I intend to watch you very carefully and if you so much as spit in the wrong direction I'll have you up in front of the magistrate so fast the spit won't even hit the ground, understand?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Good."

She turned and also walked out. Charlie sagged against the group of lockers expelling his breath. That had been scary. He knew Maverick and Lee hadn't ordered any parts and had no idea where they had come from or how they had gotten into his locker but their showing up had saved his ass.

Dune buggy and Neil were all code words to meet them at a small café on the other side of downtown San Diego where very few navy personnel hung out.

Charlie quickly changed into his civilian clothes and signed off.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Hi Ashley," Rebecca called as she walked into the office with Darry in tow. She picked him up from school of an afternoon and brought him over to the base.

"Hi, how was school?"

"Good, it's so much better than back home."

"Glad to hear it. Leanne rang earlier and she said she'd give you a call on Sunday."

"Okay thanks. So where's Grandad?" Rebecca had taken to calling Tom Grandad because according to her he looked like a Grandad.

"Gone home for the day."

"Cool I get his chair." She sat down in the big leather chair and made herself comfortable. "Right gentlemen, you do as I say or I'll make you all wash the planes by hand, both inside and out. Do you hear me boy?! And when you're done you can polish them with your tongues!" Rebecca used her best imitation male voice and dished out the orders.

Darry and I laughed at her.

"Maybe you should think about joining the navy Bec, you're good at that."

Rebecca giggled, "Nah, I don't think I could handle their rules and protocol crap."

"Tom you've finally had a sex change," Maddie quipped leaning in the doorway.

"You wish." I threw back at her. We all laughed. "You're early this afternoon, what's up?"

"Got a bit of undercover work to do, interested?"

"Does it involve all of us?"

"Yeap, all we have to do is change clothes and jump in the car."

"Sounds good to me."

"Do I have to go Ashley?" Darry asked.

"I don't know why?"

"There's a really cool cartoon on this afternoon and I was hoping to go over Tim's to watch it."

"Maddie?" I looked at her questioningly.

"Well you can go to Tim's if you like but we're going for ice cream." Darry stood there undecided for a moment. "I'll let you have double chocolate and Lee's not around to steal it either."

"Okay I'll go."

"Alright Commander, do I have your permission to go home?" I grinned at Rebecca.

"Of course not young lady, you haven't even started on that fifteen page report you promised and I want it by eight tonight!" She repeated in her best Commander imitation male voice again.

"Give her a chair and she gets way to big for her boots," I said and we all laughed as I packed up, switched off lights and went home.

Within ten minutes we were home, ditched the uniforms and were back in the Porche speeding off base. We turned onto the main road, Maddie was not exactly driving slow. She handed me something that looked like a GPS system that had a red dot glowing on it.

"We're following that dot, tell me where it's going." Maddie instructed.

"We are?"

"Yeap."

"Who are we following?"

"Your housemates."

"My what? Why?"

"I don't think they've been completely honest with me and I suspect there is something more to Petty Officer Cooper and these stolen parts and those two are involved."

"Involved how?"

"I think they ar-"

"Maddie stop, Darry's in the back," I whispered urgently.

"You're right, sorry. I hope for his sake what I'm thinking is completely incorrect."

"You and me both."

"Hey what's that?" Darry spotted the GPS thingy in my hands.

"It's a tracking device and you see that red dot that's moving on it?" Maddie answered.

"Yeah?"

"That's your Dad."

"Yeah? How cool! Can I see?"

I handed it over to him, "Just tell us where he turns and the name of the street."

"Okay, hey Bec check it out."

"Cool way to catch lying boyfriends but don't you have to bug the car or something?"

"You stick a transmitter on the car, takes all of two seconds," Maddie replied.

"Where did you get such a thing anyway?" I asked Maddie.

"Borrowed it from the Marine's."

"Next thing I know you'll be handing us night vision goggles with infra-red attachments."

"They're already in the boot," Maddie winked at me.

"Hey! The dot turned," Darry exclaimed.

"Where?" I asked.

Darry rabbled off the name of the street with some help from Rebecca. Twenty minutes later we pulled up in the same car park but all the way across the other side from Maverick's jeep.

"I haven't got a clue sir, I wish I did but we all order parts and we knock off and come on duty all the time that anyone could have planted it," Charlie explained to Maverick while Lee opened the orange plastic bag. He pulled the contents out and laid them on the table.

"Recognize any of these?" Lee asked as all three of them picked through the parts.

"Well Sir, these are the new bolts I ordered for the flaps on your plane. This is the pressure cap that was missing from Captain Kazanski's plane, in fact these are all the brand new parts for the sabotaged plane's. But I don't get it, why are they doing this to me?"

"That's what we're trying to find out," Maverick muttered, looking at the bolts that belonged to his plane. Lee and Charlie picked through the other bits and pieces, all three sets of eyes serious behind their sunglasses.

Niether of them noticed the three girls and one child slip into a table behind them, close but not close enough to be obvious.

"You know what Mav?" Lee spoke as he put a part back, dusted off his hands and took a sip of coffee.

"What?"

"I think we should try to convince your sexy lawyer," Maverick smiled deeply behind his glasses, "To stop persecuting Charlie but to start looking into who is setting him up."

"Sir, wouldn't that be part of a normal investigation if they couldn't find anything on me? She's already interrogated me once."

"The thing is she's not looking much further a-field because you've already got a history in stolen parts and I have no doubts that she's already investigated the rest of the mechanics that you work with. Plus she searched your locker and found these, if she knew what was in that package you'd be in jail right about now."

"But sir, you've been helping me, why hasn't she looked into you as well?"

Maverick shrugged and leaned back in his chair watching a pretty girl walk past. He and Lee exchanged a look that read each other's minds. "Maybe she has but we're also Captain's and we don't have a history of stolen parts involved."

"That's it isn't it? I try to make some money to help pay for-, never mind its personal, and now its going to be held against me for the rest of my life. The whole stupid thing is, it's not even noted on my record."

"Exactly, I think its time we reasoned a bit with our Ms Maddie Harris and see if we can't swing her around to our side."

"On one condition," Lee half-smiled as two blonde's strolled past, "You quit kissing her, it makes her mad and when any woman's mad they don't listen to reason."

Charlie burst out laughing at the face Maverick pulled while Lee dodged the swipe before all three of them broke into laughter.

"Gosh these targets are great aren't they Sir?" Charlie said as more pretty girls walked by.

"Oh yeah!" Lee and Maverick agreed with him.

One girl walked past and blew Charlie a kiss. Both boys laughed when he fell backwards off his chair in surprise. He lay there for a couple of seconds feeling like a class A dunce when a pair of long slender legs caught his attention. Slowly his gaze moved up them as he got up off the ground and righted his chair. The blonde the legs belonged too turned her head away and said something to her friends making them laugh. There was something familiar about their laugh.

"Sir, I think we should get out of here, the girl sitting behind us, her laughs familiar and well I wouldn't want to get caught with these." Charlie prodded the parts with his fingers.

"Yeah, we've been here long enough, how about we split these up and all take some, help lessen the burden on Charlie?"

"Good idea," Lee agreed with Maverick's suggestion. The three of them started stuffing parts in their jacket pocket's. "So what do you suggest we do about all this? How are we going to tackle your sexy lawyer?"

"I say we sit Ms Harris down and have a reasonable conversation with her, the sooner the better," Maverick suggested.

"We haven't really got much to go on."

"I know, we'll just have to try and reason with her reasonable side if she's got one, but it's a start and maybe she'll stop treating us like the enemy."

"You know the fact that two captains are putting their careers on the line trying to protect this young kid, sorry sailor, should help to prove something's not right."

"Yeah, she thinks we're involved. She's a lawyer Lee, and a dammed smart one too that's what makes our job that much harder."

"No kidding, you're going to have to do a lot more stroking to get her to retract her claws you stirred up with all your kissing let me tell you."

"Oh hell yeah! And that is one dammed fine pussy I'm looking forward to stroking."

Charlie looked at the pair shocked for a minute before joining in the hysterical laughter as they stood up and grabbed their jackets and slipped them on. It was getting cool in the late afternoon sunshine.

"I suggest we take a walk along the boardwalk and see what we can see," Lee suggested when he recovered from Maverick's statement.

"Looking for some pussy to stroke are we?" Maverick asked his partner amused, "Doesn't our spitfire like you anymore?"

"Well she's not coming back for seconds in a hurry so I'll just have to find something else to amuse myself with for awhile."

"Whose the spitfire?" Charlie asked.

"Ashley." Both boys answered as they walked away.

"So you did get onto her in Washington?" Maverick grinned.

"Oh yeah."

"Worth it?"

"Now what do you think?" Lee grinned like the cat that had swallowed the cream. "Come on children, forget my love life, let's go sailing."

They strode out hot on the tail of three bikinied bottoms.

Rebecca started giggling at the looks on our faces. Darry sucked up the last of his milkshake.

"Ashley?" Darry asked. "Can I see Maddie's pussy cat?"


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

**Late that night….**

"You lied," Maddie looked straight at me.

"No I just didn't tell you what happened."

"You still lied."

"How can it be a lie when you read my mind anyway?"

"You didn't tell me what happened, that's a lie."

"I didn't need to tell you what happened and just because I didn't deny or confirm it either doesn't make me a liar. Besides I'm not the one with the pussy that someone else wants to stroke."

All three of us burst into laughter at my pointed remark on the boy's overheard conversation.

"I don't know about you but I've had enough excitement for one day. I'm going to bed, night Aunty Ashley, night Madde."

"Goodnight Rebecca." We both answered.

"You know what's really unfair about all this?" Maddie asked sipping her glass of water.

"What?"

"We can't say a dammed thing about what we overheard because they didn't know we were there and believe me I'd have a few things to say to that Captain Mitchell."

"It's alright for you, he hasn't even scored yet. Lee has and now he's hoping for seconds? What am I going to do?"

"Give it to him," Maddie answered laughing.

"And let him think he's won again? No thank you."

"Ah but did he win the first time is more the question?"

"He got what he wanted didn't he? That makes it winning in my books."

"You know what Ashley?"

"What?"

"We are really looking at this the wrong way," Maddie gave me a pointed look while mischief glowed in her eyes.

"What are you up too?"

"Well, we've just overheard a conversation that proves the two hottest guys on the navy base want to take us to bed so shouldn't we be flattered?"

"I guess so it was probably the way it was put across that bothers me."

"Exactly, but if you look into it deeper, they are attracted to us enough to want to take us to bed and that's kind of nice."

"If you say so, when do you think they're going to gang up on you about young Charlie?"

"I'd say sometime over the weekend when we're all relaxed."

"Do you believe them at all, that Charlie's innocent I mean? After all you interviewed him, and you're always telling me that within the first five minutes you know if they are guilty or not."

"He's innocent and I do believe he's being used by someone hence why I've kept the pressure and suspicion on him, although, with your housemates protecting him and the kidnapping it's proving dammed hard. I'm hoping whoever the person is they'll relax with Charlie under suspicion, slip up and give themselves away."

"And you haven't explained that to those two have you?"

"Well for a secret plan to work you can't tell too many people what's going on."

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I feel like going to the Officer's Club, how about you?"

"Think Rebecca will look out for Darry?"

"I'd say so. But I just feel like getting out and letting the hair down a bit. Forget the conversation we overheard, forget Charlie and the boys and everything else. Let's get out and have some fun."

"Done."

We got to our feet and headed upstairs to change. I stuck my head into Rebecca's room and she was fine about keeping an ear out for Darry.

Fifteen minutes later we made our way across the base to the tall white building decorated with lights and blasting the latest sound in rock music.

The place was crowded as we made our way to the bar, ordered drinks and looked around. I saw Iceman and motioned for Maddie to follow. All six of the more senior instructors had the centre table, Maverick and Lee included.

"Hey ladies, come to join the real world have we?" A guy with blonde hair and a jovial grin greeted us.

"Ashley, Maddie this is Hollywood, Hollywood these are my sisters," Iceman introduced us.

"Well I know Ashley but you my lovely lady," He took her hand, "Are a sight to behold, would you like to dance?"

Maddie laughed as if to say, 'is this guy for real?' He lead her off to the dance floor. I found a vacant chair beside me and went to sit down when suddenly I was stopped.

"Uh-uh, no lady in this place gets to sit down, come and dance with me instead?" Maverick spoke close to my ear.

"Thank you Maverick, I was afraid because you lot all knew me no one would want to dance with me."

"You'd just be one of the guys?" He asked leading me onto the floor.

"Yeah something like that."

"Honey in that dress you are far from one of the guys. So how's Maddie progressing in her case?"

"Well that's a good example of subtlety if ever I heard. You don't want to dance with me, you only want to grill me about Maddie right?"

"Guilty on both accounts but no I do want to dance with you, if I didn't I would have just asked you at the table."

"Maddie's doing fine on her case despite you and Lee interfereing. She's still hopping mad over the latest prank."

"Which is?"

"Taking some parts from Charlie's locker and saying they were for this dune buggy thing that hasn't shown up yet."

"Ashley," He gently took my chin in his hands and our eyes locked.

"Yes?"

"That wasn't a lie, they were for the dune buggy and we happened to come by and pick them up while Maddie was there. Now that we have the parts, we can get it running and bring it home this weekend."

"Maverick, you're lying," I said softly and pointedly.

"Would I lie to you?"

"I don't know would you? Please don't treat me like some sort of fool okay? Now I don't know what you two are up too and I don't want to know but I know for a fact there is no dune buggy and those parts were not yours."

Maverick sighed heavily, "You're right but Charlie's a good kid and neither Lee or I think he'd do something stupid like steal airplane parts a second time. He's already done it once and he was lucky not to loose his career. He was also very grateful to his previous CO for giving him a second chance and he doesn't want to screw it up. Besides, he stole the parts in the first place to pay for his mother's heart transplant. When his CO heard about it everything was organized free of charge through the navy and he stopped stealing. Lee and I don't believe for one second that he's guilty, we think someone is setting him up."

"Listen, Mav, Maddie's not as fixated with arresting him as you think. She happens to agree with you-"

"She does?"

"Yes, but she does have very good reasons for doing what she's doing but your interfering hasn't helped."

"We're not interfering, we're delaying."

"Well stop it! Before she slams the both of you in the brig and ties the charges up in red tape so that you'll never see the light of day again."

"Don't you take that temper out on me, Honey, save it for sunshine over there."

I couldn't help myself, my gaze followed the direction of his nod and I saw myself watching Lee with some very beautiful woman in his arms. They were dancing close, her head on his shoulder. She looked up at him and laughed before he dropped his head for a kiss. The pang that shot right through me at seeing him kiss another girl just about knocked me to the floor. It hurt and it hurt bad. "Sorry Maverick, I didn't mean too," I said quietly, almost sadly.

"You haven't been out with Lee at all since you arrived at the house have you?" Maverick asked and I shook my head. "So you don't know what he's like when he's off doing some target practice."

"Nope, it's the first time I've really seen him in action." I mumbled.

"Come on, let's go finish that drink you had, you look like you could use it."

"Thanks Mav."

In true Officer's Club style the boys had all the seats and the girls sat on their knees. I had just settled on Maverick's when Lee strolled off the dance floor, his hand clasping the pretty girls.

"Hey Lee, look who's here?" Maverick called to his partner.

"Hey Ashley, Maddie come too?"

"Yeah she's dancing with Hollywood."

"Ah she's being worn out by Hollywood. That guy dances like a maniac." He sat himself down and pulled the girl down on his knee. "Emily this is my housemate Ashley."

"Hi Ashley, nice to meet you."

"Yeah you too."

"Lee, Honey, I have to go to the ladies room, don't disappear on me now will you?" She tapped a long, slender, nicely manicured finger against his lips.

"No chance. I'll be right here ready and waiting."

She giggled, slid off his knee and disappeared into the crowd.

Suddenly the painful pangs were back and before anyone could blink I downed my drink in one gulp. "I need another drink, you guys want one?"

"Yeah sure." Maverick told me what he was having and so did Lee.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

I pushed through the thickening crowd vaguely aware of some sort of arguing nearby. I didn't think much of it, loud voices were pretty normal for this club.

Suddenly there was a shout and the sound of fists hitting bodies. I looked around to see where the fight was so I could avoid it when I was shoved violently from behind.

I fell across a table, putting my hands down to break the fall. My right hand landing on top of a broken glass.

I yelped a bit in pain and fright but when I went to pull my hand away and get up I found I was pinned down. Someone was leaning against me, trapping me so I couldn't move. I watched in horror as a dark red stain appeared under my hand and started trickling towards me.

I was hopeless with blood and immediately the club started to swim before my eyes.

The fight was raging all around me with more and more people joining in. I was bumped, jostled and stuck when I blacked out.

I came too, sometime later, lying on the club floor, with an MP trying to rouse me.

"Ma'am are you okay?" The MP asked as my eyes re-focused.

I nodded, "I think so."

The crowd had been cleared away, the fight broken up.

"Who are you here with Ma'am?"

"Um my sister, Commander Harris and housemates, Captain Sanders and Mitchell."

"Hey John, you want to go get Lee or Maverick?"

"Yeah no problems." The second MP disappeared into the gawking crowd. Most of the club was still partying on unaware of the ruckus.

"Let's try and sit you up Ma'am." He helped me to sit up as Maddie, Maverick and Lee came pushing through the crowd.

"Oh god Ashley what happened?" Maddie asked, falling to her knees beside me.

"Careful Ma'am there's broken glass all around here."

"Oh of course, Ashley, are you okay?" She looked into my eyes and I shook my head as the tears started to fall.

"Hey it's okay," She wrapped her arms around me.

"Ashley, we're going to get you out of here okay?" Lee whispered from my other side.

I nodded as he lifted me effortlessly into his arms. We followed the MP's to the main office where the night manager could usually be found.

"Set her down on the couch over there and we'll take a look at the hand." The MP directed Lee. My hand was wrapped in a towel from the bar. I couldn't help myself and looked at the blood soaked towel. Once again the room started to move.

"Oh god," I groaned and lay back.

Lee looked at me worriedly as the MP started unwrapping the towel to take a look. "You okay?"

"She's not real good with blood," Maddie spoke from behind my head.

"Okay."

"That's going to need stitches, I'm afraid and quite a few. I don't think any tendons were severed but the hospital can tell you that. Do you want me to call an ambulance?" The MP asked wrapping my hand back up.

"No it's okay, we'll take her over. Mav you want to give them a call and let them know we're coming in."

"Sure, are you right with her."

"Yeah if she gives me any trouble I'll show her the blood."

Maverick laughed, I was too out of it to care.

"Lee?"

"Yeah Maddie?"

"She hate's needles, scared witless of them."

"Oh this is going to be a fun night." Lee shook his head and tossed his key's to Maverick. "You want to go ahead, I don't think this one's up to walking somehow."

Lee once again picked me up in his arms and followed Maddie and Maverick across the parking lot to his car. Both of them were grateful they had driven over, well Lee had, Maverick would have to walk back with Maddie, not that he was complaining any.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"I am not putting on a gown just for a couple of stitches in the hand!" I yelled at the nurse who was fussing over me. She was trying dammed hard to coax me out of my clothes and into a hospital gown.

"But Ma'am its routine and part of hospital policy. You don't really have a choice."

"As long as I'm awake I have a choice now I told you no. If you don't like it, I can leave."

"I'd listen to her Ma'am, this one's stubborn," Lee intervened in the argument as he leant against the door leading into the exam room.

The nurse sighed, "See if you can get her into the gown please, just while the doctor stitches her up. He'll be along shortly by the way." She left the room and I lay back on the hard bed groaning and fighting the feeling of wanting to vomit.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just tired."

"It'll be all over soon and you can go home and get some sleep."

"What happened to Emily?"

"Found someone else to amuse herself with while I tended to an emergency."

"Oh, sorry I ruined your night."

"I'd rather see you home safe in one piece than be worried about some girl who's perfectly capable of looking after herself."

"Okay, what do we have here?" The doctor entered the room, with a different nurse following.

"I cut my hand on a glass."

The doctor sat on a stool with a nurse nearby. Carefully he picked up my hand and started unwrapping the towel, I turned my head away so I wouldn't pass out a second time.

He handed the towel to the nurse who binned it. "Nasty, that's going to need some stitches. Can you feel it when I do this?" He poked the tips of my fingers.

"Yes."

"Good, now does it hurt at all when I do this?" He started bending the fingers and moving them around.

"Nope."

"Good, the damage is only surface, we don't have to worry about severed tendons or muscles etc. Okay, now I'm going to give you a little pinprick of anaesethic and then I can start to remove the glass that's still in there."

"No!" I snatched my hand away as he started filling a syringe. The needle on the end was small but to me it was gigantic.

The doctor looked at me most amused, "You're not afraid are you? A big grown up girl like yourself?" He patronized me and my blood boiled.

"Right that's it, I'm out of here. I refuse to sit here and be treated like this! Since you like needles so much why don't you try it yourself!" I grabbed the needle out of his arm and jabbed it into his hand.

"Ashley stop it!" Lee commanded grabbing me and holding me still. The doctor extracted the needle with the syringe still connected.

"My, she is a feisty one. Nurse can you get me another needle and syringe please?"

"And you're a patronizing imbecile," I snapped back at he doctor. The doctor's eyebrows rose but whether it was surprise or amusement I couldn't tell.

The nurse was back with another needle, syringe and vial of clear liquid. I started to shake as I watched him open the packets, his intent pretty clear. I tried to back away but Lee effectively stopped that avenue of escape.

As he drew the clear liquid into the syringe I started looking around in terror. I was ready to deck Lee if necessary, my only thought was to run. The doctor flicked the syringe, knocking out air bubbles when I kicked it clean across the room with my foot.

The doctor sighed while the nurse went about getting another one, "Now listen Missy, we can do this with or without anisetic it doesn't worry me, but I can tell you right now it's going to hurt a dammed sight worse than a little needle. So which would you prefer?"

He glared at me and I was very tempted to spit in his face.

"Doc you just do what you have to do and I'll take care of her," Lee said.

The Doctor looked at him in disbelief but didn't say anything while he waited for the nurse to come back with a clean syringe and vial.

Lee stood in front of me and held me close, my head resting on his chest. My arm with the cut hand lay stretched out into no man's land. The less I could see the better off I would be. Lee held me tight and stroked my back, surprisingly I felt myself calming down. I could hear his voice rumbling in his chest as he talked quietly to me telling me some tale from on-board an aircraft carrier.

When the doctor did give me the injection I never noticed. The sound of Lee's voice making me drowsy, the warmth and security of being held so close didn't help.

"Right all the glass is out, now let's stitch you up," The doctor spoke disturbing my drowsy state.

I started to shake and the room tilted alarmingly when I felt two fingers raise my chin so that I looked straight up into Lee's brilliant green eyes.

"Look at me Ashley, no don't look away," His fingers guided my eyes back to his. "Focus on me and just keep looking at me. That's it, you'll be okay, I promise."

And that was my un-doing where he was concerned.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw the care and concern reflected in those brilliant green pools. The room, my hand and what the doctor was doing faded into oblivion as my mind returned to that one night in Washington.

Everything I felt that night came flooding back and I knew without a doubt I had made a mistake when I said, 'it didn't change things between us.' I loved this guy, what the hell had I been thinking? It didn't help that he was holding me so close while a doctor stuck a needle through my skin.

The reality of my feelings was blinding but I knew more than anything I wanted to be with him, I wanted to love him, I wanted to be held by him and I wanted him to be there for me. I still wanted to argue with him and kiss him but now I wanted more on a far deeper level, deeper than I had ever gone before. God, was I ready to open myself up to that sort of hurt again? But as I looked into those eyes I saw a man I knew I could trust despite all outside appearances. I knew he would love me back for who and what I was, knew it without the shadow of a doubt.

Something flickered in those green depths and the knowledge that he possibly knew what I was thinking spread through me like the warmth from sunshine.

Without words he leaned down and kissed me, despite our awkward position and I knew from that kiss we would always be together and that things had changed between us. His smile was deep and welcoming as we broke apart and I returned it equally as deep and welcoming, my heart doing somersaults at the fact that he returned my feelings. I was in love and there was nothing I could do about it except to accept it and the joy that went with it.

"Come on Maddie, she'll be alright, Lee will look after her," Maverick spoke from beside her as they watched the headlights of Lee's car disappearing.

"I should have gone with them."

"And done what? She's in good hands, the doctors and nurses will have her fixed up in no time and if she gives them any trouble, Lee's there."

"That's what worries me. God I hope she doesn't give them too much trouble. She's a real big scardy cat when it comes to anything medical. I've even known her to faint when they take her temperature."

Maverick laughed, "Tell you what, how about we go back inside and finish off those drinks, besides I haven't had a dance with you yet and I always make sure I dance with every single pretty girl at our table. Then, if you're still worried we'll head over to the hospital. You know she's going to be there for at least an hour."

"You go back in if you want, but I'm going to head home. I've had enough fun for one night."

"How about I walk you home?"

"That would be nice," Maddie smiled and accepted his offered hand so he could lead her home.

Rebecca was up when they got home, having just made herself a cup of coffee.

"Bec what are you doing up?" Maddie asked as they walked through the door.

"Your brother, Iceman is it?" Maddie nodded. "He's been arrested and rang here ten minutes ago wanting to know if you could come and get them out."

"Them?" Maddie looked at Maverick.

"Well it's not Lee or I. Lee's at the hospital and I'm right here."

"Is everything alright?" Rebecca asked, worried at the mention of the word hospital.

"Yes, Ashley cut her hand open on some broken glass. Lee's taken her over to get stitched up. I guess I'd better get into town and free my brother and whoever else is there," Maddie replied.

"Anything I can do?" Maverick asked.

"Yeah call me the minute Ashley comes in if I'm not back."

"Okay." He gave her hand a squeeze as she walked back out the door.

Maverick made himself a cup of coffee and joined Rebecca in the living room. She was wide awake now and randomly flicking through the channels looking for anything half way decent to watch.

There was a knock at the door startling them both.

"Who'd be visiting at this time of night?" Rebecca wondered out loud.

"Who knows," Maverick shrugged, got up and opened the door. "Charlie it's a bit late to be making housecalls."

"Sorry sir, but can I come in?"

"Sure," Maverick let him in and half grinned as Rebecca scrambled for one of the throw rugs Ashley kept along the back of the sofa. She was just in a nightdress that was quite clingy and already Charlie was looking with wide-eyed interest.

"I-I'm really so-, hi I'm Charlie," Charlie introduced himself. He gave up trying to say what he had come there for.

"Charlie this is Rebecca, Ashley's adopted niece. She's staying with us for awhile."

"Hi it's nice to meet you. What are you watching?" Charlie sat down beside her on the lounge with all the awkwardness of the teenager he was.

"I don't know, I haven't found anything decent yet."

"Do you like the Dukes of Hazard?"

"Yeah, they're fun."

"They've got re-runs on channel 4."

"Cool." Rebecca flicked to Channel 4 and the two of them settled back happily to watch the 'good ol' boys' race around the countryside in their orange stockcar.

"Umm Charlie, what did you come round for?" Maverick asked when an add break came on.

"Oh yeah, I was signing off tonight when one of the navy couriers arrived. I signed for the package but it was addressed to me so I opened it. Inside was this." Charlie held up a black video cassette.

"Have you watched it?"

Charlie nodded and swallowed nervously, "It's a tape of me."


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

**One Week Later**

The party was in full swing as I pushed my way back through to the living room looking for Lee. We had decided to have a party just for the hell of it. During the past week of planning all of us found we were looking forward to it.

I'd had my stitches out that morning and the hand had healed fine. The skin on the palm was scarred and a bit puckered but it didn't bother me in the slightest.

I threw Rebecca a wink as I passed by her, cloistered in the corner with young Charlie who seemed rather intent on getting to know her. During the week he had arranged his schedule so that he could knock off early and pick her and Darry up from school. She had thought that was wonderful. He hadn't actually asked her out as yet but it was only a matter of time.

Maddie was deep in conversation with Tom and Karen while Maverick was running the makeshift bar we had set up. I found Lee sitting on the stairs chatting to Hollywood and Wolfman. I slid down onto the step in front of him and leaned back against him enjoying the feel of his muscular chest against me.

"Lee, where's Darry?" I asked during a lull in the conversation.

"I don't know, I haven't seen him," he replied with a frown. We both remembered our last party when Darry had attempted to drink the beer.

"I'll go find him." I got back up, gave Lee a kiss and wandered away looking for Darry. He was nowhere in the house so I headed outside to where people spilled onto the front lawn and driveway.

The neighbors had been notified about the party and the MP's alerted. I waved to a couple of them as they drove past the house checking up on things.

"Darry!" I called, saying hi to everyone I knew as I wandered past.

"Sis, you looking for someone?" Iceman asked appearing out of the darkness. He had just arrived. I didn't notice the person standing behind him.

"Yeah, Darry, he's gone missing and last time he did that at a party he got into the beer."

Iceman pulled a face at the thought of a drunk seven year old.

"Sis you remem-"

"Sorry Ice but I really have to find Darry and make sure he's alright." I turned away from him scanning the crowd.

"There's a group of kids down the side playing basketball in the driveway, could one of them be him?" A familiar voice spoke.

I had no time to think about why the voice was familiar as I hurried across the front lawn to the driveway. Sure enough, Darry and four other kids were having a great time bouncing the ball and scoring hoops. Phew! I let out my breath I had been sub-consciously holding.

"See, safe and sound." Again I heard that familiar voice in my ear and knew instantly who it was.

"Snip." I turned around to face him.

"The one and only, how are you Babe? Decided to come back to me yet?"

"Never and you've got some nerve showing up here."

"Oh hey, I just wanted to see if my gorgeous wife had improved any." He smiled broadly holding out his arms towards me.

"I am not your wife!" I hissed nastily. "We were never married in the first place." I walked off back along the verandah to go inside.

"Now come Ashley, is that anyway to treat your husband after being separated for the last couple of months?" Snip asked in a loud voice attracting several people's attention.

"He's kidding," I explained very quickly. "You're kidding aren't you? Please tell my friends that you are."

"Now, now Ashley, you know I don't live in the world of make-believe and that I always speak the truth."

That's when I started wishing the ground would open up and swallow me whole. There would be no stopping the conversation from being reported back to Lee.

"Snip I am not your wife nor will I ever be your wife, now would you mind please leaving, you are not welcome here."

"Oh well you'll have to talk to your brother about that, he invited me and he assured me you'd be most glad to see me. Now are you going to give your old husband a kiss or do I have to steal it from you?"

"Go to hell!" I turned and walked away from him, looking for my brother so I could give him a piece of my mind.

Just as I reached the screen door to go inside it flew open and banged me right on the forehead. "Ow!"

"Oh Ashley, I'm sorry, are you okay?" I felt Lee's gentle fingers probing my forehead.

"I'm fine," I sighed and looked up into his eyes. They were cold and questioning. He had obviously heard about Snip and wasn't looking none too happy either.

"What's going on? Whose this?" Lee asked, looking Snip over suspiciously, sizing him up.

"This is an old family friend, Snip. He used to live down the road from us at Fort Campbell when we were going through high school. He joined the Navy when Tom did but went into the diver's. Speaking of my brother, where is he? I need to have a word."

"He's inside talking to Maddie, nice to meet you." Lee gave Snip a wary smile, much to his amusement, and guided me back inside.

I couldn't resist poking my tongue out at Snip as I went.

"Well that's just great! A guy comes home after being away on a classified assignment for three months to find his wife's shacked up with someone else!" Snip stated at the top of his voice.

He had followed us inside.

"Wife? Ashley, what's going on?" Lee looked down at me clearly confused and not happy about it either.

I pulled away from Lee and turned around, not noticing the music had quietened and there was silence all around. "When will you get it through your thick head I am not your wife! I never have been and never will be!!"

"You think that because there are no divorce papers, our marriage is over?! Well think again lady, the law doesn't work that way."

Suddenly I took two paces closer to him and stood toe to toe, nose to nose, "If you don't stop this ridiculous charade I'm going to belt the living Christ out of you, understand?" I commanded in a harsh whisper.

"God I love it when you're mad," He sated quietly and I slammed my fist into his jaw, sending him reeling. "Thomas where are you?!" I screamed for my brother.

A felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see the sympathetic eyes of Maddie. "Where's Thomas?" I asked.

"He was here, are you okay?"

"No I'm not." My eyes searched out Lee's but the look in them was far from comforting.

Snip was back on his feet rubbing his jaw, "Hey Maddie you're a lawyer, can I charge her with spousal abuse?"

Maddie looked at him clearly unimpressed, "Wouldn't be worth it Snip. Why don't you wait outside while I calm Ashley down? You know what she's like when she's mad."

"I certainly do," He replied in a voice that was full of pleasure and excitement.

I groaned, "Get out of here before I do some real damage!"

"Ashley-"Maddie tried to interrupt us.

"I'm going but let me warn you, my dear lovely wife, I'm not leaving here tonight without you and if I've got to fight some nancy-assed flyboy for you, I will."

Lee turned at that comment and quietly walked out of the room, taking my heart with him.

"You get outside now!" I kicked Snip. "I'll deal with you in a minute." I glared at him as he gave me a saucy wink that spoke volumes.

'This was so not happening.' I muttered to myself walking into the kitchen where I had seen Lee disappear. He was not there when I spotted the open back door and guessed he was outside.

"You okay Ashley?" Maddie asked. She and Maverick both followed me into the kitchen.

"No I'm not. Did you know he was coming back to town?"

"Nope Ice never said a word to me, then again, I haven't had a lot to do with him of late."

"Dear god, I can't believe this is happening." I rubbed my hands over my face.

"Who is this guy Ashley?" Maverick asked.

"He's a family friend or rather he's not Ashley's friend anymore. He, Tom and Gary took Ashley to Vegas for our 21st, I didn't go, I was a married woman then. Anyway, they got her drunk and when she woke up she was handcuffed to Snip, wearing a wedding ring and holding a marriage license. For six months they all had her believing she was married before they told her it was all a joke."

"Yeah some joke. Gary had to do an awful lot of crawling to make it up to me, as for the other two, well they're still trying."

"So you stayed married to him for six months?"

"Yeah, I'm one of these honorable persons who hate's to let others down so I tried hard to be his wife. It was kind of fun at first and things were working out until they told me the truth."

"Did they try to pull any tricks like that on you?" Maverick looked at Maddie amused.

"No, they wouldn't dare," I answered for her.

Maddie laughed, "I had some pretty good damaging evidence on Tom that impacted on both Gary and Snip. They weren't game to test the boundaries so to speak, given that I was married to their CO at the time."

"Right now I'd best go and try and salvage something good or there is going to be bloodshed. Do me a favour Maddie?" I asked.

"What's that?"

"See if you can't get rid of Snip."

"No problem, the MP's are doing regular patrols aren't they?"

"Yeah, I've waved to them a couple of times."

"Consider it all taken care of. You any good at picking pockets Mav?" I heard Maddie ask as they left the kitchen and went back into the living room and the party.

I walked out the back to find sitting quietly on the back steps, deep in thought.

"Hey, I'm sorry," I spoke softly sitting down on the back step beside Lee.

He looked at me for a moment before staring back off into the distance. "Is what he said true?"

"No it's not. He, Gary and Ice pulled a nasty prank on me when I turned 21," I told Lee the story of their little trick. "I was furious, although Gary won me over with some major crawling, but the other two I haven't spoken to until now. I only started talking to Tom because we were stationed at the same base otherwise I'd still be ignoring him."

"If you're not his wife why was he carrying on like that?"

"He thinks it's funny, I don't."

"Is there any other ex-husband's in your past that I should know about?"

"No Lee, there isn't and that is the honest truth. I'm not married, never have been and never will be unless it's to the right person and if that happens well I only plan on marrying the once. Lee," I reached out and gently turned his face towards me, "I like you and only you. I want to be with you no matter what and if anyone or anything tries to destroy that, then they'd better look out. After all I'm the proud owner of a sniper rifle now." I smiled at him and was rewarded with a small smile of his own.

"I'm not in the habit of sharing my ladies with others, you know that?"

"I do and I don't intend to let myself be shared."

"Glad to hear it." He pulled me in close and tenderly kissed me. The relief that flooded through me was just incredible and I marveled at how such simple words could control such emotion. I wrapped my arms around Lee and kissed him back with everything I had.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

**Two Days Later**

"Ashley can you take these reports over to building F for me please, give them to Commander Dunne," Tom asked stacking some papers together.

"Aye, aye Sir. Okay, if I go for lunch afterwards?"

"No problems."

"Thank you Sir."

I left the building and drove over to the Marine side of the navy base. Building F was an obscure building, located behind the hangars that housed the helo's(helicopters). I typed in the entrance code for building F and pushed the dark doors open only to be blasted by the cold air-conditioning.

"Hey, Kaz, long time no see," Red, the desk clerk greeted me. "Been on assignment have we?"

"No I defected to the navy, can't you tell?"

"What do you want with those simpletons?"

"The stuff I can't get here or course, love and adventure."

"Hey I'll give you love and adventure, you just say the word," He called after me as I typed in the entrance codes for the doors leading inside the actual building.

I laughed as I walked down the carpeted hallway, hearing the automatic doors slam shut behind me. The sound was ominous but I was used to it. I opened door six and descended two flights of stairs, programmed in more numbers and was let in to an identical hallway. I could see the door to Room 4 was open and voices floated through the air. I made my way to the room.

"Ah Kaz, good to see you." Tactical, my actual superior officer, smiled in welcome.

I threw the sheaf of papers aside that Tom had given me and made my way straight towards Snip, who was grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

"You bludy imbecile!!" I shouted grabbing him by the lapels of his BDU's and slamming him up against the nearest wall. "You just about ruined a dammed good thing with your stupid little stunt. I'm in a good mind to wax your dammed balls and shove them down an RPG Tube to fire at the enemy.

Four other guys watched and listened but cringing in pain at my threats while Snip started to laugh.

"You should have seen your face Kaz, what a classic! I've never seen you scared but that night you were quaking in your boots." He laughed even harder.

"It was not funny!!"

"Now Kaz, calm down. It was the best cover we could come up with to alert you we were here without raising suspicion," Tactical interjected.

"Yeah well I didn't appreciate it and what sort of crack was that to make about my flyboy?!"

"Oh hey, since when were you so protective of the men you're screwing?"

"That's my business. If you ever do anything like that again I will definitely tie you down and wax them, understand?!"

"Yes Ma'am!" He gave me a respectably sarcastic salute before dissolving into laughter as I let him go. "I guess I'd better not tell her she looks dammed sexy in that navy uniform then." Snip whispered to Silencer.

"Tactical are you aware there's a good chance Rebecca recognized Snip?" I asked, glaring at Snip one last time.

"Yes Kaz, we are aware of that and will deal with it as we need too."

"So is Gary actually dead?"

"Yes, he was killed by a Nigerian Sniper on a recon mission, I'm sorry I know you two were close."

"It's okay, at least I know my tears weren't wasted."

"Alright team, settle down, we've got business to discuss. Kaz, how are we doing topside? Anything to report?" Tactical asked.

"Yeah one Chief Petty Officer Charlie Cooper is being set up big time but I don't know who by. Maddie's been brought in and is running the investigation."

"So Maddie's back is she?" Tactical asked with raised eyebrows.

"She's investigating the case into the Petty Officer, yes, although I suspect she knows something is not quite right with the whole thing and no, she doesn't want to join our ranks either. After Snip's little shindig at our party her suspicious mind will be doing double time and I've yet to seriously talk to her."

"That's alright I'll calm the angel down, any chance of bringing her over here?" Tactical smiled sweetly. Tactical had been trying to get Maddie on our Special Forces team for as long as I could remember. It had all started when she married his best friend before the two of them turned into Special Forces Operators.

"Not unless you want to say your prayers now. You know how she feels Tact."

"Word from Germany is a map was sent back with two pilots, know anything about it?" He changed the subject.

"I know the pilots that went over, but I don't know anything about what came back on their plane."

"We suspect the map was for an Al Queda training compound run by one Miftah Emami. We believe he is hiding on the base under the disguise of someone else, probably in a position close to the Petty Officer."

"Wouldn't a Muslim stand out like dog's balls?" Reaper asked.

"Not necessairily. He may have had surgery, like the SS did after WW2 or he may be wearing a mask and wig. We're waiting on Intel to get back to us. For now, Kaz I want you to find out what your sister's got on the investiagation so far. The rest of you will do a night sweep of the hangar and-"

"Excuse me sir?" A young Marine knocked on the door to the meeting room.

"What is it Tampera?"

"This just came in for you sir, they said it was urgent."

"Thank you." Tactical took the sheet of paper from the young Marine officer and read through it. "Okay, latest intel tells us the map has been written in UV affected ink so you're going to need the UV wands to find it but be careful. Any sort of light is easy to detect at night. Bubble, Snip, Recon and Silencer, I want you four to do a sweep of the hangar's and building housing the mechanic's. Silencer and Reaper you take the fighter jets. If he's posing as a pilot he may have stashed the map on board. Also look for usual paraphanelia, we've got to find this guy and fast."

"Okay." None of us bothered with the yes or no sir's unless it was a direct order or we were poking fun at our CO.

"Do I have permission to tell Maddie what's going on if she hasn't already figured it out?"

"Sensor it until I get back to you."

"Any idea of what the objective of this training compound is?" I asked.

"Intel's not quite sure yet but we think its a staging area to kidnap a few of our fighter's and use them against us or they are planning a hostile take over of the base. That's why we need to find this guy and fast, as it is we have three Afghan Oil Tankers sitting off the coast of California now as we speak, why we don't know but it's unusual. Right that's all for now, Kaz someone will contact you when and where it's necessary in the meantime see if you can find the map under your own steam."

I closed up my cell phone and tucked it back into my pocket just as I reached the Top Gun building.

"So when were you going to tell me what was really happening?" Maddie asked stepping out of the shadows and falling into step beside me, her eyes deadly serious. I stopped outside the building reluctant to talk to her inside.

"How about right now?"

"That's a good answer although I would have liked one Saturday Night."

"Sorry Maddie, I had to clear it with Tactical, you know that."

"How is Tactical?"

"He's good and yes Gary was killed. He was killed in Nigeria. They used his funeral to get my rifle to me."

"I suspected that was the case. So what can you tell me?"

"Seriously not much, however, I don't want to talk out here. I have to wait on a call from Tactical, once that's through I'll come and get you and we'll talk, promise." I gave her arm a reassuring squeeze.

"Let me guess, he's clearing things with higher up?"

"Probably."

"It's the one thing I hated most of all when I was married, all the dammed secrecy."

"I know but you know how these things work. It's a classified assignment by a team that doesn't exist and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Where have I heard that one before?" She laughed and rolled her eyes as we walked inside.

**An Hour Later**

"Hey, think Tom will let you have an early mark?" Maddie asked wandering into my office.

"Don't see why not, he's not here to ask, why? What did you have in mind?"

"Test out this dune buggy that the boys brought home on the weekend?"

"Sounds good to me." I quickly shut off the computer, grabbed my jacket and hat and locked the office.

Maddie's eyes glowed with mischief and excitement so I knew I was in for some fun.

The dune buggy had arrived home on Sunday afternoon, true to their word. Maddie quietly marveled at how well the boys had done to make their story legitimate.

I half suspected Lee might have used some of his millions to have the thing shipped over from Australia. I had actually come across a bank statement of his by accident and had almost fainted in shock when I saw the amount. The man was loaded and would never want for anything that was for sure. Still it was none of my business.

"We'll need Maverick's jeep to tow it out to the desert and I know he drove it to work this morning," Maddie mentioned.

"That's okay, they were sent to Cuba this morning on a straffing run. A couple of SEAL's were in pretty deep and they called in the fighter's to destroy the enemy so they could get them out. I'll go by the pre-flight room and pick his keys up, that way I can leave him a note. Meet you at the jeep."

"Okay."

The boys had the buggy up on a navy 'borrowed' trailer so all we had to do was hook it up. Thankfully Charlie was hanging around and helped us out. He had just arrived at the house after picking Bec up from school. Darry was at his flute practice, something he had decided to try out of the blue, and Bec was quickly getting ready for a dance class otherwise we would have had them all along with us.

"We ready?" I asked Maddie as she slid in behind the wheel.

"Yeap, let's do it."

She grinned at me wickedly as we drove out of the driveway ready for some fun.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Both Maddie and I squealed as the dune buggy hit the top of the sand dune and flew into the air. It came down with a thud on the other side and we slewed sideways down the side. Maddie, of course, was driving. 'Maybe she should have been a pilot instead of the boys?'

We had been out in the sand hills for at least an hour.

We were ten minutes from the Mexican border and the beach was deserted. We'd rolled the buggy twice but thanks to some good harness's and a decent roll cage we were unharmed.

"Maddie where are you going?" I asked as she put the vehicle in gear and started running towards the beach.

"You'll see." She grinned at me, changed up a gear and floored it straight towards the water.

"Oh no! I don't want to get wet!" I squealed with laughter as she hit the waves and yanked hard right on the wheel, the dune buggy spinning and spraying salt water everywhere.

We took one look at each other and laughed so hard that our sides hurt. Once again we raced along the beach swerving every now and again into the waves. We'd hit the occasional submerged rock and bounce off neatly which was fun but one rocky outcrop we didn't fare so well.

We could see the waves breaking over the rocks as we raced along the sand. Maddie grinned at me mischeviously, "Shall we?"

"Why not!" I squealed as we hit the rocks doing sixty.

For a moment we seemed to fly over the waves themselves before coming down with a huge splash in the water trouble was there was no sand underneath us. The buggy was sinking and the engine screamed, sputtered and died as salt water took over.

"Maddie! There's a wave coming!"

"Jump!"

She released her harness and jumped clear just as the wave hit the buggy.

My harness was stuck and I felt the buggy flip upside down as the wave rolled over it. I was underwater, the roll cage resting on the sand, my head not far from the sea bed. I tried desperately to release the harness catch but couldn't.

Wave after wave pounded the buggy pushing it every which way until eventually it came to rest against the rocky outcrop we had jumped over. Now when a wave hit the force of the water knocked my head into the rocks and I was starting to panic as I saw a red stain float before my eyes. My fingers working frantically to free the belt catch.

Suddenly an arm appeared from nowhere and a knife slit the harnesses. A hand grabbed mine and pulled me out of the buggy away from the rocks, lifting me to the surface.

It was Maddie.

She helped me up onto the beach where we collapsed, I was gasping in air and coughing up sea water.

"You okay Ashley?"

"Yeah, I think so." I lay back on the sand with a groan, the coughing subsiding. Gingerly I felt the cut on the side of my head. There didn't seem to be all that much blood. After a few minutes I turned my head and looked at her, "Do I want to look?"

"Nope."

Despite her answer I stuck my head up anyway. All I could see was four wheels poking out of the waves. I lay back down on the sand. "Oh shit! Lee's going to kill us."

"I don't know so much about Lee but I know Maverick's not going to be too happy either." Maddie looked at me and we couldn't help ourselves, we both burst into laughter. It took ages to calm down.

Finally I sat up. I was soaking wet and covered in sand. It was cold and uncomfortable but there was nothing we could do about it.

"I suppose we'd better start walking," I commented.

"No let's stay here. If we don't go home, we won't have to tell them what happened."

"Sure, you got any matches? A fire would be nice to help dry the clothes unless you want to freeze."

"Nope."

We started laughing again as we pulled each other to our feet and with one last look at the buggy started walking. The shadows were long as late afternoon settled in. Halfway back along the beach the sun started to set and we marveled at the magnificent colours hitting the water.

"What a nice way to end a fabulous afternoon," Maddie commented thoughtfully.

"Yeah until we get home. What on earth are we going to tell them?"

"It got stolen?"

"You know it won't work seeing as how we both look like drowned rats. I know Lee's going to take one look at me and just know instantly what happened."

"As long as Maverick doesn't smile at me I'll be able to lie. But if he smiles, we're screwed big time."

"You do like him don't you?"

Maddie sighed, "Yeah, even more so now that I know he's actually interested. For awhile there I thought he was using me to protect Charlie. Speaking of which, what is the story there?"

"I can't say, Maddie, I haven't heard from Tactical yet."

"Well it's a bit hard when your phone's now at the bottom of the ocean." She laughed as I patted my pocket where it was normally kept only to find it empty.

"Oh great, he's going to love that one. Tact I need a new phone. Why? Mine decided to take up swimming lessons in the ocean."

"Well are you going to fill me in?"

"Yeah, guess it can't hurt, after all you are my sister and we are in the middle of nowhere so there's even less chance of being overheard but I need to know what you've found out with your investigations."

"Okay."

**Lee**

The boys arrived home right on dark to find Charlie and Rebecca organizing dinner for them.

"Girls not back yet?" Lee asked.

"Nope, they took the dune buggy out," Charlie answered.

"Yeah we know they left us a note. I hope they're alright." Lee pulled his hat off and gave his head a rub as he hung it up.

"Any idea where they went Charlie?" Maverick asked.

"No they didn't say but I don't think they really knew where they were going themselves."

"Great, how far away's dinner?" Lee asked.

"About half an hour, we've only just started," Rebecca replied.

"Good, enough time for a shower." Maverick started towards the living room and the stairs when a pair of headlight flashed past the window.

"That's the girls, let's go," Lee stated pushing open the screen door and walking out onto the porch.

They watched the jeep pull in towing an empty trailer.

Lee's brow furrowed in annoyance, an empty trailer was not a good sign. 'What had they done?'

"Where is it?" Maverick asked from beside him.

"I don't know but we're about to find out." Lee stood on the porch, arms folded and waited.

Charlie flicked the outside light on as he and Bec came out to investigate along with Darry.

The light lit up two very wet, sandy girls.

Lee knew instantly what had happened.

"Please tell me that what I'm seeing here is my imagination?" He glared at the two quiet drowned rats.

"What you're seeing is part of your imagination," I repeated parrot fashion in a soft voice.

'Great, now the little brat was being a smart ass!' He gave me a filthy look that left me in no doubt as to what he was thinking. Behind him Darry, Bec and Charlie were trying not too hard to hide their laughter.

"Are you girls okay?" Maverick asked.

"We're fine just a bit wet and sandy," Maddie answered him.

"How bad is it?" Lee asked.

Niether of us could meet his eyes.

"How bad is it?!" Lee asked again raising his voice.

"I think we might go finish dinner, want to help Darry?" Rebecca asked as she turned the young man around and went back inside. Charlie stayed where he was until Bec pinched his arm and dragged him inside.

"Um, well, it's upside down," I answered not liking the tone of voice or cold look in his green eyes.

Maverick stood by quietly, watching but also with a glimmer of a smile on his face. Maddie and I must have made a pretty amusing sight.

"Upside down? Upside down where?!" He roared again.

Maddie and I both cringed.

"Now Lee, I can explain-" Maddie started.

"You can explain? Dammed right you can! Now, where is it?"

"Upside down in the ocean," I squeaked out.

"You two three year olds, took out a fifty thousand dollar dune buggy and left it upside down in the ocean?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe this!" He sighed and turned away from us for a couple of seconds. "You'd both better get inside before you catch a cold, not that you don't deserve it."

Maddie and I filed quietly past both guys. Maverick held the door open for us but only Maddie made it through as Lee took hold of my arm.

I looked at him nervously, "I'm really sorry Lee-"

"Save it! You're hurt, what happened?" I felt his fingers gently probing the cut on the side of my head.

"It's just a little scratch, it'll heal."

"It's more than a little scratch, it's quite deep but you should be alright. Now get inside before you drop dead on me."

"Yes sir."

He held the door open for me and let it slam shut before disappearing into the darkness outside.

"Lee?" I called when I heard his footsteps run down the front steps. "Lee, where are you going?" I could see his silhouette disappearing down the driveway and it worried me.

"Go inside Ashley before I say something to you that I'll regret." He walked off into the darkness of the street.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

**Lee**

Lee could feel the anger in his blood receding as he walked not really knowing or caring where he was going. Uninvited a picture of me, soaking wet, hair hanging in sandy dreadlocks and a stain of red down the side of my neck appeared. He couldn't resist a smile, both girls had looked quite a sight and it wasn't any wonder the others were laughing.

Lee sighed to himself wondering not for the first time, what had he done to deserve such a ratbag of a girlfriend. She sure was a hard one to keep under control although he sort of suspected her sister had a bit to do with that afternoon's escapade.

'Maybe I should tie both of them up to the bed and torture them. Nah, Maverick wouldn't like it.'

He had to get away from the house and her. The empty trailer sitting in the driveway didn't help either especially after all the trouble he and Maverick had getting the darn thing into the country. Dam! He hadn't even had a drive of it yet and it was already totaled!

Fifteen minutes later he found himself outside the officer's club and went in for a drink, his answer to everything that went wrong or he couldn't handle. Maybe he'd find a sympathetic willing ear to whinge too. Let Maverick take care of the two delinquent brats for a change.

He ordered a scotch and settled onto a bar stool. Five seconds later someone sat on a stool beside him but he didn't really notice as he downed his scotch and ordered another one.

"So what did she do?" The guy beside him asked.

"Who?" Lee looked at him. He was some Marine Colonel or Major, he was never one for remembering ranks in the Marine's.

"The girl that's causing you to look for answers in the bottom of your glass." The guy grinned at him and motioned to the bar tender.

"Oh she's just a regular pain in the ass who loves getting herself into loads of trouble."

"A bit like a catastrophe." The bar tender came over. "A bottle of your top shelf scotch, my friend, I don't think my young Captain here would drink anything less." The Marine paid for the bottle, "Come on, there's a table over there in the corner."

Lee looked at him for a moment and sighed, "Why the hell not."

"Exactly, why the hell not?"

"And your description of a catastrophe is dammed near perfect for this little brat."

"You married to her?" The guy asked as they sat down at the table. "By the way I'm Commander Dunne but you can call me Tactical, everyone does."

"Lee, Lee Sanders, sorry, Captain Lee Sanders."

"That's quite alright, I can read ranks," Tactical grinned at his new intentional friend and poured the drink. "Here's to female rat's right?"

"Agreed."

They clinked glasses and downed the drink in one gulp. Tactical refilled their glasses and this time they took it slower.

"So what's this girl of yours done?" Tactical asked curiously.

"Well she's not my wife and after today I'm seriously thinking about de-moting her from status of girlfriend."

Tactical laughed, "Don't do it friend, she makes your life difficult now imagine what she'll do when she's pissed off."

"Oh she'll only hiss and spit some more until I dump her in a bucket of water somewhere, then she shuts up."

"Talking from experience?" Tactical asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, we've been sharing a house for about six weeks now and I can tell you it's not been smooth sailing. Why on earth can't I find anyone normal?"

"I'm thinking, Captain, you like a challenge and this one is not your normal run of the mill girl and that's what's sparked your interest."

"Probably, god knows I've dated enough ordinary women and none of them are a patch on this one. She's, I don't know, different. She's confident, cheeky but when she gets scared she still stands her ground. She's not afraid to argue back even when black is black and she's wrong. She's funny, smart and caring but heaven help you if you tread on her toes."

"Sounds like my wife. It's taken me fifteen years to tame her and I'm still going. So what did she do to annoy you so much?"

Lee settled back in his chair warming to the guy and told him the story of the dune buggy and how it's ended up at the bottom of the ocean and that he and his partner hadn't even gotten to drive it. By the time he was finished Tactical was helpless with laughter.

"The stupid thing is I'm as mad as a cut snake over it."

"Well I would be too but just be grateful it isn't on the bottom of the ocean with her still in it."

"Oh I am, I am but I didn't even get to drive it."

"And that's what's bothering you more isn't it?"

"Yeah, the brat gets to have all the fun and I miss out."

"Ah now, they call that jealousy and sad to say it's going to happen often within your married life."

"I'm not marrying her."

"You will, not right now but in a year or two when you get used to these escapades of hers and find you can't live without her because life would just be to dull, you will."

"Maybe, but I'm a pilot and I could die tomorrow so I tend not to think of the future too much."

"Wise man, what does she do?"

"Oh she's my Commander's PA."

"Ah nice, safe, boring desk job."

"I think you've just hit the nail on the head there."

"How's that?"

"The word boring, she's bored so she gets into mischief and never mind her sister's right there to help her along either."

"Now you're thinking, however, don't blame this whole incident on her if her sister's involved."

"Oh I'm not blaming anyone, I'm just annoyed at what we went through to get the darned thing and in one go she's destroyed it already."

"I tell you what, I've got a team of marines that need some work in ocean salvage, one of them is excellent mechanically. How about you find out where they left it and let me know. I'll send the boys in to recover and restore the buggy."

"Wouldn't the salt water do some pretty horrific damage?"

"Oh a little bit of rust here and there but that's okay. We'll dismantle it, clean it up, repair any weaknesses and have it back to you good as new. They need the practice and you'd like it back."

"Mate you've got a deal." They shook hands as Tactical poured another drink.

Three-quarter's of the bottle was gone already and the two were as happy as kids let loose in a lollie shop.

"You're Australian aren't you?" Tactical asked.

"Yeap, the accent comes out when I get drunk. So what's a Marine doing in a Navy Officer's Bar?"

"Catching up with old friends, I was just on my way out and saw you. Figured you could use a friend."

"Well thanks."

"So you one of the Top Gun Trainee's?"

"No Senior Instructor and actually the Navigator, my partner Maverick's the pilot."

"Ever heard the name Charlie Cooper?"

"Yes Sir, he's the engineer who looks after our plane, nice young kid. Right now, he's trying to date my girlfriend's niece."

"Is she anything like the girlfriend?"

"No, she's nice for a seventeen year old. How do you know Charlie?"

"Ah word is that he's at the center of a JAG investigation for stealing."

"Yeah, the poor kid. The JAG investigator is really putting the pressure on him. It's like she's decided he's the one and his background doesn't help."

"What's his background?"

"When he first graduated from basic training, his Mum had a heart condition. Anyway, he got his first posting and some time later she needed a heart transplant. Charlie being new to the Navy didn't know how to go about getting help to pay for the operation so he fenced stolen parts. His CO found out about it, cited him for it and moved him here after talking to the relevant parties and getting the funding for him."

"Ah so why then is the JAG investigator after him so badly?"

"I really don't know."

"What do you think? Do you think he's doing it or he's being set up?"

"I think he's being set up but by who I don't know. The kids young and he made a mistake but he learn't from it and as soon as his CO found out he stopped. I personally think he wouldn't try it again, he's already been caught once and it would mean instant dismissal."

"Any ideas why he joined?"

"Stable life more than anything, guaranteed work and the fact that he had a roof over his head. Apparently the family isn't real well off and when his Mum goes they loose the small apartment she's in. For him the navy is security."

"And that's usually what makes a dammed good sailor. We look after them and give them what they need and they return it through loyalty and long term service. Why on earth would someone want to set up a nineteen year old kid?"

"That's what my partner and I have been trying to work out. It just doesn't make sense and whoever's setting him up would have to know about the previous dealing in stolen goods."

"Why do you say that?"

"Makes the JAG people look that much harder at Charlie and less at the real person doing it, once guilty always guilty."

"Mmmm it's not real nice is it?"

"No and it's a shame, he's a good kid."

"Any thoughts on who it might be that's setting him up?"

"Someone with no conscience, anyway, you're pretty interested in a navy problem for a marine?"

"Yeah sorry, I've had a few dealings with JAG over the course of my service and I always find the cases they solve interesting and like I said the gossip's pretty strong on the guy."

"You didn't think about going into JAG yourself if it interests you that much?" Lee changed the subject.

"I'd like too but the brass wouldn't let me, apparently I'm too useful in intelligence, know too many languages that sort of thing."

"Yeah the brass can be pains like that. Once you're good at one thing they keep you at it."

"You don't like your flying?"

"Oh I love the flying but I'm also conscious of the fact that as I get older, I'm getting shoved more and more towards a desk job. My CO's good he actually created this position so we could keep up the skills and hours but one day it's going to come to an end."

"I tell you what, I know a guy looking for a couple of veteran pilots and I mean veteran's in that they've seen war, fighting and been in the thick of battle, does that apply to you and your partner?"

"Yeap it certainly does."

"You like helicopter's?"

"My partner does, he likes the fact they are small and more maneuverable but he also enjoys the power that comes with jet fighters."

"If you're serious about keeping up the flying and wouldn't mind flying helo's give this guy a call and have a chat. I'll let him know that I've spoken to you."

Tactical passed a piece of paper over with only a phone number on it.

"What's his name?"

"Never mind that, he'll know you if you decide to call."

"Cool thanks, I'll keep it in mind. Now if you'll excuse me I'd better get home and sort out our two delinquents. It was really nice talking to you."

"You too, do you know Commander Crofts?"

"Yeah he's my CO."

"And you're dating his PA right?"

"Yeap or at least I'm trying too."

Tactical started laughing, "No wonder you're having problems. I know Ashley and all I can say is she's a handful that one. Anyway, either one knows where to contact me when you locate the buggy."

"Okay and thanks."

"No problems." Tactical gave Lee a wave as he left the club. His night of intelligence gathering completed rather easily, far more easily than expected thanks to Kaz and her catastrophic ways. Tactical smiled to himself, finished off his drink and headed home to Sam and her warm bed. He was unsteady on his feet but it didn't worry him none, he was used to it.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

**One week later**

"How's the case coming Maddison?" Maddie's CO enquired politely.

"Slowly sir, in fact I'm really coming up against a dead end."

"Hmmm there might be more here than meets the eye on this one. There's a lot of brass up here rather interested in the case. Is the Petty Officer guilty?"

"No I don't believe he is, but whoever is setting him up is very, very good."

"A professional?"

"Could well be but what would they have to gain by setting a young 19 year old up?"

"I don't know that's why you're there. Ms Harris if this case takes any longer, I personally will come down there to see what the hell is going on. Now get it solved and make it dammed quick!"

"Yes sir."

Maddie hung up the phone and leaned back in her chair exhausted. It had been a rotten week.

Ever since they had crashed the dune buggy.

Maverick and Lee had practically stopped talking to them. Both boys were good and mad. Now her CO was annoyed with her because the case was taking to long to solve but in all honesty she didn't have anything to go on or did she?

Quickly she pushed her chair back and locked up the office, hurrying out of the building before she lost her train of thought.

"If you wanted to pick my pockets why didn't you just ask me?" Maverick spoke causing Maddie to jump.

"You scared me," She accused him.

"And with good reason by the looks of things. If you're looking for money, you've got the wrong room, the millionaire's next door." Maverick smiled briefly at the joke but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "What are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"You're not sure yet, hmmm, Madison what is going on? You crash our buggy, snoop through my room when no one's home, what else is there?" He crossed his own bedroom floor in a couple of strides and removed the flight jacket from her fingers. He hung it back up on its hook where it lived. "You never come home during the day except to cause mischief and you never come in here unless you want something." He glared at her, clearly not happy.

"I was looking for something that might help me with Charlie's case."

"Such as?"

"Such as stolen parts."

"And you think I've got them and they just happen to be hiding in one of my pockets somewhere? I think you'd better try harder with your explanations."

Maddie sighed, "I saw you with some stolen parts a couple of weeks ago."

"You did, did you?"

Maddie trembled slightly from his nearness.

"Yes, we followed you, Lee and Charlie that day you picked up the parts from Charlie's locker-"

"Whose we?"

"Ashley, Rebecca, Darry and I."

"You involved my seven year old son on a spying venture?!" His blue eyes flashing as his temper rose a notch.

"Yes, he loved it, especially the GPS tracking system," Maddie blurted out and bit her lip at the error.

"Uh-huh so now we've got spying to add to the list. What else?!"

Maddie swallowed her sharp mind trying to devise a way out of the predicament. "That's it. If it helps any I bugged Lee and Charlie's vehicles. You see we followed you that day to the beach-"

"Did you bug the table too?" He asked sarcastically, his temper clearly at an end.

"No, I didn't have time, you were already there but we sat close enough to overhear the conversation."

"Oh well, if you overheard the conversation you'd know that what you're looking for is now on the bottom of the ocean no thanks to you and your sister!"

"I know, but I was hoping that maybe there might have been something left over that could help me with the case. I really am sorry Maverick."

"For what exactly?!" He stood his ground, arms folded glaring at her like he would one of his insolent junior officers.

"Come on Maverick, there's no need to be mad, you know I'm only doing this to help clear Charlie's name-"

"Crashing my dune buggy is going to help Charlie how?! You just drowned all the potential evidence!"

"You're mad aren't you?" She stepped closer to him and ran a finger up along the smooth fabric of his shirt.

"Yes I am and with good reason! Especially now as you're in my room going through things that don't belong to you! Not to mention involving a seven year old in a foolish spying venture. You know Maddie, you can do whatever you like to me but when it involves my son, I don't appreciate it!"

"I know and I'm sorry, I should have asked you first. But you see, I just had this idea in my head and well, there was really no time to stop, you know what I'm like." Her fingernail ran daintily along the curve of his jaw. She pouted prettily, "Come on Maverick, you aren't really mad at me are you, after all Darry's fine and loved every minute of it."

He looked down at her for a moment, wondering if he should just tear her clothes off there and then. Nope, he wasn't caving that easily, he was mad at this girl and with good reason.

"I'm mad at you for more than that Maddie." He looked away from her, standing his ground.

Inwardly, Maddie sighed, this was going to be harder than she first thought.

"I said I was sorry. Besides, you can't stay mad at me forever." She reached up and laid a soft, light kiss on the skin at the base of his neck. She felt him twitch in response.

"Maddie stop it!" He pulled her arms away from where they were running up and down his upper arms in tantalizing strokes.

"What's the matter? Don't you like it when I do this?" She reached up and trailed a row of kisses up to the hollow beneath his ear.

"Of course I do, I wouldn't be human if I didn't, but now is not the time. I'm supposed to be mad at you."

"You're not mad at me so stop trying to convince yourself you are." She shook her hands free of his and started undoing the buttons on his shirt. "We have at least an hour don't we?"

"Maddie you really are not playing fair."

"I think I'm playing perfectly fair-"

"No you are not," His tone had softened. He couldn't help himself as he buried his hands in the soft curls of her hair.

The buttons on his uniform were undone and she pushed the shirt back off his shoulders so it hung down his arms.

"Now that's more like it. What good is all that anger anyway?" She slipped his T-Shirt out of his pants and slid her hands up underneath it.

"Where you're concerned, lady, I can think of numerous ways to use it." He picked her up off her feet and quite literally threw her onto the bed. Maddie shrieked with laughter as she bounced on the mattress. He was straddling her in milli-seconds but Maddie kicked out and flipped them over so she sat astride him.

"Told you, you weren't mad at me."

He reached a hand up around her neck and pulled her down on top of him.

"Who said anything about being mad?" He murmured as their lips met.

"Ashley, you seen Maverick?" Lee asked poking his head in the office door.

"Nope, why did you loose him?"

"Yeah, the bugger's gone AWOL on me."

"Did you try Maddie's office?"

"She's not there either." He looked harassed and uncertain.

"I don't know where Maddie is but what do you need Maverick for?"

"We're running a refresher class on simple combat techniques for the Junior's this afternoon and he's supposed to be taking the class."

"Can't you do it?"

"I'm a navigator not the pilot, I know the subject but not like he does."

"Ah well now here's your chance to learn." I smiled sweetly and got to my feet. "I tell you what, I've got to deliver some of these to Tom in a meeting and then I'm free, how about I come along and help you with the class?"

"What do you know about flying combat?"

"I don't but maybe an extra person for moral support might help?"

"You trying to get back in my good books are you?" He looked at me suspiciously.

"Yeap." I giggled at his expression and walked off down the hallway to give Tom the research he had asked for.

Ten minutes later I joined Lee in an empty classroom. He was going through his partner's notes.

"Where is everyone? Did you scare them off already?" I asked as I entered the room.

"Ha ha very funny, they're still on lunch."

"So have you learn't anything?" I peaked over his shoulder at the notes he was reading through.

"Enough to get me through the lecture I think."

"You said this was a refresher course right?"

"Yeap."

"So wouldn't the junior's already know this stuff?"

"Yeap."

"So why don't you swing the class around to have them tell you the information?"

"I can't, I'm not the expert on the subject so if they say something wrong I won't know."

"Ah but you can use Maverick's notes and fire questions at them, make them start to think and they'll come forward with the problems and answers you know nothing about. Hopefully shedding more light for you on the type of maneuver you're discussing and refreshing their memories at the same time. You learn something, they learn something. It's called playing one off against the other."

"Ashley?"

"Yes?"

"Looks like you're not just a pretty face after all."

I went to smack him but he caught my hand, "Come here," he whispered huskily pulling me in close.

"Oh so now you're being nice to me."

"Yeap." He lowered his lips to mine in a sweet kiss.

"Lee, I really am sorry about the buggy and everything, we weren't planning on drowning it."

"It's okay, I'll live. I was just disappointed I didn't even get to drive it and we went through so much to get it in the country."

"Hang on, you said you found it on base and bought it off some guy? It was in bad condition and you got some parts from stores to fix it up with so you could bring it home." I tried to pull away from him but his hold on me was far too strong as he started nuzzling into my neck. "Lee! What's going on?"

"Absolutely nothing other than renewing our relationship before the rest of the class gets here," He grinned down at me wickedly and started to kiss me.

His wicked grin said it all in that I wasn't going to get anymore information out of him that afternoon.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

I sat in on the lecture with Lee probably learning just as much as he was, if not more. He had started off with the usual chatter about what they were going to be revising then started firing questions at them. Pretty soon the junior instructors were firing back results, problems and all sorts of other information. Sometimes things turned into a heated debate between pilots so Lee got the model airplanes out and with the help of the navigators calculating angles, air-speeds and wind direction, they resolved the argument. It was great. The junior instructors were enjoying themselves and it showed.

I sat off to the side quietly watching the interaction between all and occasionally staring out the window. I could see Charlie and his CO having a quiet chat outside the hangar where they were working. Charlie handed his CO something and wandered back inside, his CO staying where he was when a jeep pulled up.

There was something about the two men in that jeep that didn't seem right. They were dressed in the standard blue coveralls of the mechanic's but one man's trousers seemed a little too big for him. He kept hitching them up.

I watched Lieutenant Bassington place his hand over his heart and bow slightly in a traditional Muslim greeting. The men smiled, laughed and returned the greeting before exchanging European style kisses with exuberance. The thing that bothered me most was the dark hair and the way their caps sat awkwardly on their heads, like they didn't know how to put them on properly.

My special forces training kicked in big time as I watched Lieutenant Bassington hand over the package Charlie had given him. That was when I noticed the Lieutenant wore gloves. Most structural engineers did when they worked on the jets but that was only whilst work was being carried out, the Lieutenant wasn't working and hadn't been for a good ten minutes.

The two strange men said something to the Lieutenant and again bowed in the traditional Muslim manner before leaving.

Suddenly I knew I was looking at something much bigger than stolen parts. I had to stop those men from leaving the base.

I leapt off my perch and raced out of the classroom to lot's of comments of 'where's the fire' and 'alright, who scared the little bird away.'

I ran into the nearest office startling Slider and Hollywood as they discussed something.

Grabbing the phone I dialed the main gate. It took ages for the MP's to pick up and when they did, I found they had just let the jeep through.

I cursed and swore like you wouldn't believe Slider and Hollywood looking at me suitably impressed.

"What? Haven't you heard a lady swear before?"

"We have but not like that, very colourful," Slider answered.

I glared at him and ran out of the office heading for Maddie's.

"Anything we can do to help?" I heard Hollywood's voice float down the hall after me but I kept running.

Maddie's office was locked but it took two seconds to pick it.

Quietly I closed the door behind me and made my way over to the small filing cabinet she was using. It was locked. So too were the desk drawers.

A minute or so later I had them open. Quickly I searched through for the file on Charlie and the stolen parts.

I found it in her bottom draw and flicked to the notes on Luitennant Bassington. There was nothing notable there, background checks seemed to be normal except for one small detail. His religion was listed as Catholic and yet, he had just offered the traditional muslim greeting to two strangers on the base. Now the alarm bells were really ringing and I ran back to my own office.

Tom had just come back from his meeting and looked at me as I raced in.

"What's the matter Ashley? You look worried," He asked nicely.

"I think we've got big problems on base sir. No time to explain," I spoke rapidly as I quickly dialed a memorized number. "Hey it's me. I've got a suspect." I listened for a little bit to the voice on the other end. "Right, co-ordinates? See you then." I hung up.

"Ashley what's going on?" Tom asked.

"Something pretty big I'd say. Got to see Tactical first. Can you tell Lee his Dune Buggy's all fixed and back at the house."

What an afternoon!

I jumped in Lee's car having left mine at home and hot-wired it, another special forces training trick. I drove straight over to the aircraft hangar. Luitennant Bassington was back in his office and Charlie was looking over some forms nearby.

"Charlie? You got a sec, jump in?"

"I'm on duty Ashley," He looked at his CO apprehensively.

"You want to see my niece again, I suggest you get in. Don't worry about the Luitennant, when he knows the full story he'll understand. As your superior I'm giving you an order, now get in!"

"Yes Ma'am." Charlie put back the paperwork and hopped in the car. "Where are we going?"

"For a drive."

"The package you gave Luitennant Bassington this afternoon, what was in it?"

"Just some parts the guys in the next hangar needed, why?"

"What sort of parts? Were they wrapped in the traditional orange plastic."

"Yeah but the Luitennant had me transfer them over to a plastic bag, something about them being too obvious in the orange, why?"

"It's classified for the moment but I think it has something to do with the JAG investigation that's going on. Do you know what the parts were?"

"No Ma'am."

"Are you sure they were for the next hangar?"

"Yes Ma'am, he had me order them especially for Captain Kerner's jet."

"If you ordered the parts how can you not know what they were?"

"He only gave me the numbers of what he needed, all parts are numbered Ma'am but I can look up what one's they were."

"Great, what do you need to do that?"

"I can go pay a visit to stores Ma'am."

"When did he take them over to the next hangar?"

"Straight after I gave them to him."

"Did you see him take them over?"

"No Ma'am, I had work to do so I went back inside. Why are you asking me all this?"

"I think Luitennnant Bassington maybe the one setting you up."

"My CO Ma'am?" Charlie looked at me like I was crazy.

"Yeap but I don't know why yet, although I have my suspicions. If I drop you at Stores can you find out what those parts were?"

"I think so."

"Great make a list of them and hang onto it. Don't give it to anyone, understand? If you have any trouble when you get back to the hangar call this number." I handed him a piece of paper.

"Yes Ma'am and thanks I think."

"No problem, you okay to make your own way back?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Good, oh and can you let Captain Sanders know I've got his car?"

"Yes Ma'am."

He hopped out of the car outside the building that housed stores and gave me a wave as I pulled away with a squeal of tyres.

"Okay, Kaz what have you got for me?" Tactical slid into his nice comfy leather chair behind the desk in the non-descript office. I knew the chair was comfy because I had sat in it from time to time myself, unknown to Tactical of course.

"Luitennant Bassington. I observed him receive a package from Petty Officer Cooper in a non-descript plastic bag. A jeep pulled up at the side of the hangar, out of sight from most, ten to fifteen minutes later with two men of middle-eastern appearance. They were in the blue coveralls of the engineers uniform."

"What was it about these two that got your attention?"

"Three things, the uniforms, one seemed to be way too big and he kept hitching them up the second point was their caps sat oddly on their heads, like they weren't used to wearing them or something. Thirdly, Luitennant Bassington initiated the traditional muslim greeting of hand over heart and a slight bow. I checked Maddie's files, before ringing you, to see what she had found on him and it has his religion listed as Catholic. I now have to wonder, if he's Catholic why is he initiating a traditional muslim greeting ritual?"

Tactical picked up the phone and spoke quickly before hanging up, "Okay Kaz, I want you back here at 2200 hours, kitted up, ready to go."

"Yes sir." I left Tactical's small office wondering how on earth I was going to get the rifle out of the house without raising Lee or Maverick's suspicions.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

**21.45 That evening**

Quietly I popped the panel up above the wardrobe and pulled down my rucksack and rifle. The rucksack was dusty and I sneezed a couple of times as I checked it over and made sure all my gear was there. Thankfully Rebecca was in the shower as my old room was now her's.

I had fifteen minutes to get out of the house, without arousing suspicions, and over to Building F for that night's mission. It was going to be close.

Opening the door to the hallway everything was quiet. The light was on in Lee and my room as he and Maverick were reviewing some junior instructor's flight plan that was incorrect. There was the usual clash of dishes from the kitchen downstairs as Maddie washed up.

For a moment I hesitated wondering how I was going to get past Lee's door without being spotted. He was an observant little pest and not much escaped his attention.

I had an idea.

There was a length of nylon rope curled up in a pocket of the rucksack and I fished it out, tying it around the handle of my rifle case and rucksack.

Gently I lowered the items over the balcony rail down to the living room floor below where they'd be out of sight.

"Hey Beautiful where are you off to?" Lee asked as I walked past his door about to head downstairs.

"Just going downstairs to help Maddie with the washing up, why you want to come too?"

"With you yes but not in the kitchen," He winked at me.

"Ha ha very funny." I poked my tongue out at him. "Work first, play later."

"Yes Ma'am!"

I made my way downstairs shaking my head at his cheekiness, picking up my rucksack and rifle case. 'That was a whole lot easier than I first thought,' I though to myself as I walked into the kitchen.

"So where'd you get too this afternoon hmmmm?" I asked Maddie teasingly as I filled my canteen with water. Maddie was incredibly happy and singing away while she worked. She simply glowed all over and I hadn't seen her looking so content since her marriage so many years ago. "No wait!" I held up my hand to stop her from saying anything. "Let me guess? It involved 'stroking pussies' with a certain navy captain?"

Maddie flushed and that was all the answer I needed.

"You didn't?!" I squealed.

"Ssshhhhhhhh!" She hushed me. "And yes we did."

"Good?"

"Better than expected that's for sure. Where are you off too?" She looked at the rucksack and rifle case.

"Assignment. While you were off playing with our good Captain this afternoon, something mighty strange took place on base this afternoon involving Luitennant Bassington and some muslim visitors."

"Bassington's a muslim?"

"Tactical and I think so. I broke into your office by the way and took a peak at your file. It says he's catholic-"

"I know, I wrote the notes."

"Yeah so why then did he initiate a traditional muslim greeting with these two visitors? He also handed over a package of parts that Charlie told me were for the next hangar and Ice and Slider's plane and the visitors left the base. This guy isn't clean Maddie, not by a longshot."

"Have you told Lee about tonight?"

"No, I was hoping you could help cover me on that?"

"My lips are sealed."

"Thanks Maddie and I'd better go."

Quickly and quietly I crept out of the house as a firm tread was heard coming down the stairs.

"Ashley?" Maddie called quietly into the dark outside, "Be careful." She whispered so only I'd hear it.

"Where's Ashley?" Lee asked walking into the kitchen with Maverick following.

"Tom called her in for some reason. She couldn't say what it was about. Have you two finished your homework?" Maddie asked cheekily.

"Yes Mum," Maverick answered. He dipped his hand in the dishwashing water and flicked his fingers at her.

Lee stood by deep in thought.

"What's up?" Maverick asked putting the kettle on for their coffee.

"Nothing, I was just thinking I didn't hear the phone ring, that's all."

"He rang her mobile Lee," Maddie answered, letting the water out of the sink and shaking her wet hands all over Maverick. He fended them off with the tea-towel before flicking it at her. She laughed, grabbed another one and flicked it right back at him.

Lee shook his head and finished making the coffee's seeing as how they were playing games.

"Gosh my Auntie's a nut case," Rebecca commented walking into the kitchen. In her hand was a silver mobile phone.

"Why?" Maddie asked laughing as Maverick caught her and tickled her. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! You big bully!"

"Honey you ain't seen nothing yet." He laughed and started kissing the side of her neck.

"She left her mobile in the bathroom."

It was three am as I walked back across the base to my now silent and dark home. It had been a successful mission that night and the de-brief proved most interesting. Tomorrow's meeting was going to be even more exciting as we started to close in on a possible terror suspect.

As suspected my house was dark and quiet. I stashed my rucksack and rifle in the bushes outside, to be retrieved later the next day.

Quietly I picked the lock and stole inside, gliding up the stairs like a shadow and slipping into our room. Lee was not asleep, I could tell by his breathing pattern. Still I didn't say a word as I dumped the clothes and slid in under the covers beside him.

Gently I laid a hand on his shoulder and kissed the back of it. He turned over looking at me with those incredibly intense green eyes.

"Hey," I smiled and leaned down to kiss him.

"Hey yourself." He slipped his arm around me pulling my head onto his shoulder. "Where have you been?"

"I had to take care of something."

"In the middle of the night?"

"Best time to resolve problems and I always think more clearly in the dark and quiet."

"Ashley, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Maddie said you went over to Tom's tonight."

"Mmmm she's right I did." I dropped a kiss on his bare chest.

"You're lying," he stated in a cold voice, "and if there's one thing I hate more its women who lie. You want to tell me what you were really doing?"

"How do you know I wasn't at Tom's?"

"Maddie said he had rung you on your mobile but Rebecca came downstairs with your mobile in her hands saying you'd left it in the bathroom. If Tom had have rung it you wouldn't have heard it and when I asked Rebecca if it had rang she said no. So I checked in with your brother and he hadn't seen you, neither had the CO and neither of them knew anything about an urgent problem that you were called in for."

I sighed, this was the one part of the job I really hated. I had requested permission to tell Lee what it was I did but until this mission was over I wasn't allowed to say. "I can't tell you," I stated simply.

"Why not?"

"You know that lovely red stamp that reads classified?" Lee nodded, "Well it's stamped all over what I was doing. I'm really, really sorry Lee but you're going to have to trust me on this."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You can try."

"You aren't really Tom's PA at all are you?"

"Not in so many words, no."

"Thought so, Tom's never had a PA before and suddenly he does, it didn't make sense. Can I ask you another question?"

"Same answer; you can try."

"Does this have something to do with what's going on with Charlie?"

"Yes."

"Is Maddie involved?"

"No, not as much as I am. When I'm allowed to tell you, I promise I'll fill in the blanks."

"How many more nights am I going to loose you to the darkness?"

"I can't say, even I don't know the answer to that one."

"Just promise me two things?"

"What's that?"

"Three things actually; one, you don't cheat on me. Two, don't ever lie to me and three, you'll always come home to me." He looked at me his green eyes serious.

"That I can promise you and I'll be more than happy too."

"Good, now I believe work is over so let's play."

I giggled as he threw the blankets over our heads and started kissing me.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

**Charlie**

Charlie was mad. Charlie was angry and Charlie was pissed off. He had been on the receiving end of his CO's temper all day and for no particular reason why. He hadn't put enough grease on this bolt, other's weren't done up tight enough, he had the wrong parts, all sorts of stupid little things that wouldn't normally matter.

Charlie shut the water off in the showers and quickly dried himself off. He wrapped the towel around his hips and walked over to the bench in front of his locker. It was Friday afternoon and he was dammed glad to be going home. His boots and overalls lay in a heap beside him where he'd dropped them ten minutes ago.

He popped the door of his locker open and hurtled the boots inside viciously smiling slightly as they hit the back wall of the locker with a thud.

As he reached in to pick up his well-loved battered pair of sandshoes, a sliver of light caught his attention. It came from the back of the locker where the back panel was or rather supposed to be. Charlie looked carefully thinking he might have bent the panel when he threw his boots in, they were steel-capped after all. What he found though wasn't a dent.

The back panel had come away from the back of his locker which was really strange. He pushed at it and heard a popping sound like popcorn as the panel swung back further. It went so far and stopped when it hit the wall behind it, however, a grating sound of brick on brick met his ears.

"Hey Lou?" Charlie called out to a guy five lockers down that he knew.

"What's up?" Lou asked as he did up his shirt. He too was off duty and heading out for a date.

"The locker room's on the outside of the building right?"

"Yeap."

"So that would mean there should be a solid brick wall behind here right?"

"Double brick actually but yeah why? Someone been trying to break in through your locker have they?"

"I think so. The panel's been cut and I can hear bricks moving around behind it."

Lou strolled over and took a look as well, "Shit someone's gone to a lot of trouble here, who have you pissed off?"

"Only the CO, he was mighty mad at me today but I don't know why." Charlie shrugged and pulled on his jeans.

"Bassington's a dick. Tell you what," Lou said as he withdrew his head out of Charlie's locker.

"What?"

"You stay here and see if you can push those bricks around a bit more, I'll go outside and see if I can find the entrance on the other side."

"Cool, thanks man."

"No problems."

Five minutes later the whole back of Charlie's locker was off and he could see the outside world. The bricks behind his locker had been chiseled out and at a cursory glance you wouldn't notice.

Charlie and Lou had just found out how the parts had been stashed in his locker.

Charlie grinned and shook hands with his friend before they carefully put everything back in place.

"You're going to have to report that," Lou stated walking back inside, picking up his jacket, wallet and keys.

"Yeah I know, thanks for your help."

"No problems, we seeing you at the club tonight with the little blonde chick?"

"Yeap and her name's Rebecca."

Lou smiled, "You owe me a drink then."

"Done, seeya there." Charlie sat down to put his sandshoes on. He needed to see Maddie and fast.

"Excuse me Commander?" Charlie tapped lightly on Maddie's office door.

"Petty Officer Cooper, what can I do for you?" Maddie looked up with a half-smile at having been interrupted.

"Um if you've got a minute Ma'am, I'd like to show you something in the locker room in our building."

Maddie sighed, it was four on a Friday afternoon, another half an hour and she was going home. "Is it important?"

"Yes Ma'am, I think it is."

"You want to tell me what it's about?"

"I'd rather you see for yourself, Ma'am. It will only take five minutes."

Maddie sighed, "Alright let's go." She switched off the office lights and locked the door following Charlie across base to the Engineer's building.

Ten minutes later she raced back down the hallway to her office for her camera when she suddenly stopped. For a minute or two she thought she had the wrong office and it took a bit to comprehend the chaos that was happening around her.

A navy fire team was spraying her office down with foam. The smoke was thick in the corridor and the building had to be evacuated. She stood there rooted to the spot, dumbstruck at the black hole that was once her office. It was still on fire in some places.

"Excuse me Ma'am but you shouldn't be in here. You need to go outside and wait with the others." A fireman instructed as he pushed past with an extinguisher.

Suddenly there was a loud bang as a fireman hacked into something with his axe, tipping it over and allowing better access to a small blaze that was determined to climb the wall.

"It's my office," Maddie muttered.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, there's not much left. If you'd like to wait outside, we'll have a chat to you as soon as we're done."

"Sure, of course, thank you."

Maddie walked outside completely numbed and mystified by the scene inside. I spotted her and walked over to her giving her a hug.

"Oh thank god you're alright. We thought you might have still been inside."

"No I had something I had to do."

Maverick and Lee joined us, Maverick wrapping his arms around her and kissing her on the temple, "You okay?"

"I will be when I get over the shock. Ummm when did it start?"

"About five minutes ago, the alarm went off and the fire guys were here pretty quick after that."

"Obviously." She was quiet for a second or two. "Shit Charlie! I was taking a look at something and came back for my camera. I don't suppose any of you have a camera?"

"Use your phone," I suggested.

"I can't, it was in my office."

"Here take mine." Maverick handed her his phone.

"Thanks Maverick, I won't be too long."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" He called after her as she raced off across the base once more.

"No!"


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

**Later That Evening**

The music slowed down and Lee pulled me in close, wrapping his arms around me. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him down for a loving kiss.

Suddenly we were bumped from behind and Lee broke away to find a grinning Maverick right behind us.

Lee shook his head and danced me away from him and Maddie with a, "Bugger off Mitchell."

Maverick laughed.

After the fire that afternoon we were undecided at first to go out but changed our minds. Maddie glad she had decided to come along. As Lee and I swayed to the music I spotted Rebecca and Charlie chatting away to some friends nearby.

"Kids are here," I murmured to Lee.

"Who cares," Lee smiled and looked actively around the dance floor.

I was about to ask who he was looking for when he started maneuvering me across the floor.

"Lee?"

"Mmmmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see."

Two seconds later we bumped into someone. I didn't need to look to know it was Maverick and Maddie. I heard the, "Bugger off Sanders," and Maddie's giggle.

By the end of the fourth accidental bump I was starting to get annoyed and was actually relieved when the music moved back into its usual fast number.

"I'm getting a drink!" I yelled over the music.

"Me too!" Maddie yelled back, "I don't know about you but I'm fed up playing dodgem cars!" She glared in the direction of the boys who smiled innocently at us.

"Yeah definitely!"

We made our way up to the bar and ordered drinks.

"Do the fire guys know how the fire got started?" I yelled over the noise while we waited for our drinks.

"Not really although they have their suspicions. They kept asking me questions about whether or not it was common for me to leave a cigarette burning in an ashtray while the office was unattended. The thing was I was only gone ten, fifteen minutes at the most and that fire was pretty well advanced for such a short time."

"You don't smoke. Do you think someone deliberately lit it?"

"Exactly."

"Maddie can I report this to Tactical?"

"Yeah, in fact maybe I should bring in the latest lot of evidence. If the Admiral knows this case is being investigated by Special Forces he may lay off the harassment of getting it wrapped up. I mean, I agree with him, it's a simple investigation into stolen parts but its taken me six weeks now to get anywhere on it. It should have taken me around three days."

"Well you know the Special Forces side of things, but you're going to have to word yourself carefully if you talk to Tactical. I still don't have his permission to tell you what's going on yet."

"Relax; lawyers are good at that sort of thing."

"I know."

"Evening ladies," Lieutenant Bassington suddenly appeared behind us.

"Evening Lieutenant, are we having a good night?" I asked sweetly without batting an eyelid. Maddie paid for our drinks which had just arrived.

"Yes I am and please call me Emit."

"And you can call me Ashley." I smiled suggestively at him as I took a drink.

"Ah a beautiful name for a beautiful lady, would you like to dance?"

"I'd love too. Maddie do you mind taking my drink back to the table?"

"No problem." She gave me a quizzical look as I took Emit's hand and followed him onto the dance floor.

Across the dance floor Charlie choked on his drink, unintentionally spraying a friend.

"Hey! What's the big idea Charles?" The guy glared at him brushing the liquid off himself.

"Sorry but Bassington's dancing with Ashley."

"Who's Ashley?"

"Bec's aunt and a PA at the base. She also outranks him by miles."

"She looks pretty cozy to me right at the moment."

They both watched their CO and I dance. He held me close his hand resting on my backside as he whispered something in my ear, drawing a flirtatious laugh from me. I stood on tip-toes and whispered something back, his eyebrows rose impressively as I ran a fingernail down the side of his neck.

"I don't think rank's going to matter right now."

"Nope but there's going to be hell to pay when her boyfriend see's her and he's here too."

"You going to tell him?"

"No way! It's his problem not mine."

"What's my Aunt doing?" Bec asked snappily, coming over to Charlie. He slung a casual arm around her. Rebecca was scowling as she watched me on the dance floor.

"Looks like she's dancing to me." Charlie shrugged trying to stay out of it.

"Dancing my foot, she's flirting with him! I really need to have a word with her."

"Bec don't, let it go." Charlie reached out to stop her. "Just stay out of it. It's your aunt's business not yours."

"Charlie I can't. She's my aunt and right now she's behaving like a fifteen year old."

Bec marched off in the direction of the dance floor and Charlie gulped his drink down.

"I'm heading to the bar if you want a double?" His friend asked him.

"Yeah please, I think I'm going to need it."

In the centre of the room Lee's happy face and laughter faded as he caught sight of the dance floor. Maddie had been expecting it.

"Excuse me guys I need to go see Ashley," Lee muttered almost angrily.

"What's going on?" Maverick asked worried.

"That," Maddie pointed to where I was cozied up to Bassington.

"Oh hell, does that girl have any idea what she's doing? Lee's going to do his stack at this and it's not going to be pretty."

"I think Ashley knows exactly what she's doing and she hates every minute of it."

"Sorry Maddie but I think I'd best stay on Lee's tail, his temper's not pretty. By the way, that's a really weird statement." He lifted her off his knee and got up.

"I know." Maddie laughed.

She took his hand and followed him through the crowd catching up to Lee in seconds. Right at that moment Bec had me by the arm and was furiously dragging me off the dance floor.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" Bec hissed at me angrily.

"Dancing with the Lieutenant, why do you want to dance with him?"

"No I don't. I thought you and Lee were together?"

"We were but I felt like trying something different." At that moment I saw Lee's cold green eye's right behind Rebecca. Quickly I shut my feelings down afraid I'd blow what I was up too.

"What's this 'we were' stuff Ashley? Two minutes ago you were looking dammed happy in my arms," Lee cut in angrily.

"Lee I'm sorry, but I wanted to dance with someone else."

"Dancing and flirting are two different things."

"You flirt with the women you dance with."

"Yeah, that was before you came along. Now, you want to tell me what the hell is going on?!"

"Not particularly but if you must know, I'm tired of you and I want to move on. The young Lieutenant was available so I snapped him up." I waved to where Bassington was waiting for me and blew him a kiss.

"Lee let it go!" Maverick snapped watching as Lee's hands balled into fists.

"Like hell I will. She's my girl and I'll be dammed if I'll stand by and watch someone else steal her from under my nose."

"I am not your girl, Lee Sanders! Never have been, never will be!"

"Well if that's the case then, why have you been sleeping in my bed for the last month? How come you've been welcoming my kisses without a second thought?"

"Because there was nothing else better to choose from!" I threw the comment in callously.

Everyone stood there staring at me open-mouthed, shocked. Maverick put a restraining hand on Lee's arm.

"You make me sick, you know that?" Lee glared at me, all the hurt and anger reflecting in his eyes, tearing at my heart.

"What's wrong Lee can't you stand being used in the same way you use other women?"

"First off let's get one thing straight. I tell them they are going to be used and I leave them no doubt that nothing will come of it. They take it or leave it. I don't hang around for weeks on end giving them the impression we're going to last, unlike someone I now know."

"Jealousy's a curse-"A hard stinging sensation across my cheek cut off the mocking sing-song voice. "Ow! What did you do that for?" I felt my cheek as tears welled up in my eyes.

"You deserved it. I didn't date you just to have you make fun of me." Lee turned and walked away. Maverick followed.

Maddie stood there uncertain, "I hope you know what you're doing." She stated before following the two boys.

"So do I Maddie, so do I," I muttered quietly before turning my attention back to Rebecca and the Lieutenant.

"Sorry you had to see that Bec. Why don't you go and find Charlie, I'll be alright." I pushed away from the wall and straight into the Lieutenant's arms. He guided me back onto the dance floor while Bec walked away shaking her head stunned.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

**Sunday Morning**

When Lee woke he had no idea as to where he was. He opened his eyes to see blue sky above and hear the chatter of voices not far away.

"Hey are you alright?" A kindly voice asked as a toe nudged his foot.

Lee groaned and shaded his eyes. It was a blinder of a headache.

"You need an ambulance?"

"No I'm fine, I think. Thanks."

"You sure? Your car's one hell of a wreck."

'Great just what I need, a new car,' Lee muttered to himself.

"You say something?" The kindly man asked.

"No, no not at all." Very slowly Lee sat up with some help from the gentlemen.

"Roger is he alright?" A voice called out not to far away.

"He's fine Lucy, but you might want to bring us some water, I think this young man could use it."

"Here we go, all nice and cold and fresh from the mountain stream." An elderly lady about sixty handed him a cup of cold water.

"Thank you Ma'am." Lee sipped the water slowly. 'Was there a mountain stream in San Diego?' He wondered starting to take note of his surroundings. The lush green field he was lying in. A pristine blue lake nearby with a couple of anglers. The group of people looking at him like he had arrived from outer space, full of fishing poles and lures attached to hats and vests. Everyone at least over the age of fifty five. No, this was definitely not San Diego or Miramar.

"Um where am I?"

"Your at Lake Cuyamaca."

"Where?" Lee didn't recognize the name.

"Lake Cuyamaca, best trout fishing spot in the whole of the country."

'Well at least he was still in America,' Lee thought to himself. At that moment a siren was heard and the sheriff pulled up not far away.

"Here's the sheriff now, he'll probably be able to sort you out. Morning Earl." The man waved to him.

"Morning Roger, what you got there, another strange fish?" The sheriff strolled down the field to where the crowd had gathered.

"No, not quite, just a young man who looks like he's been in a bit of strife."

"You own the car over there that's upside down Son?"

Lee looked in the direction the sheriff indicated and grimaced, "Yeah it's mine."

"Took a hell of a beating you okay? Maybe we should take you into the doc's. Old Alice can check you out."

"No thanks, I'm okay."

"Where were you headed?" The sheriff asked.

"I really don't know."

"Where are you from?"

"Miramar, I'm a Captain in the United States Navy."

"Well, Captain in the United States Navy, you look like you've been on one hell of a ride. Do I need to breathalize you?"

"Not unless I killed someone or damaged something that doesn't belong to me?"

"Oh I think you're pretty safe for now. I'll give you a ride back to the village and get Alice to take a look at you, just to be sure. There's phone's and things up there so you can call someone to come pick you up. Lucy, why don't you leave Roger to his fishing and fix this nice young man something to eat? I reckon a good cup of hot coffee would go down quite nicely right about now?"

Lee smiled gratefully, "Yes sheriff it would, thank you."

The sheriff and Lucy helped Lee up and took him back into town. The doctor gave him the once over and declared him fit and available that brought a bit of a smile from Lee. Lucy cooked him a nice breakfast and after an hour or so in warmth with food Lee started to feel human enough to call home.

"Yeah it's me……………..Alive but only just apparently. I crashed the car, it's totaled…………………..Some place called Lake Cuyamaca, its actually quite pretty. It's nestled in the mountain's about an hour and a half out of San Diego………………Yeah I know, look if its too much hassle, I'll get a bus home………………..Cool, thanks Maddie. I'm at the Roadside Inn right next door to the sheriff's station………..Yes I'm in the café and no I can't see any bars on the windows……………………Great, see you then." Lee hung up the phone and settled down to wait for someone to come and pick him up. Whether it would be Maddie or Maverick he didn't know.

As he waited for them he chatted to Lucy, Alice and Earl. They were all nice people and full of stories about the area and the national park. They didn't ask questions other than where he was from and Lee found himself relaxing in their company.

"What have you gone and done this time Sanders?" Maverick asked grinning at him. Quietly glad to see his partner still in one piece. He and Maddie had passed the wreck of Lee's car being loaded onto a tow-truck and it was a miracle he survived un-hurt.

"Don't ask."

"You alright?"

"He's as fit as a fiddle and a whole bucket load of muscles to boot," Alice cackled in delight. "You're going to be my pin-up boy aren't you Son?"

Lee smiled at the old lady, she was quite a character.

"So who are these nice people?" Lucy asked.

"This is Maverick, my flight partner, his girlfriend, Maddie and Maverick's son, Darry. Guys this is Lucy, Alice the doctor and Sheriff Earl." Lee indicated them.

"Would you like an ice-cream?" Lucy asked Darry.

"Yes please." Darry grinned and climbed up onto a bar stool beside Lee at the counter. "We're going to go dune buggying."

"Are you? And what is dune buggying?" Lucy asked Darry as she gave him the ice-cream.

"It's this thing with wheels that drives in the sand."

"Ain't much sand around here, you folks might want to head up towards Death Valley, plenty of sand up there. Of course you'll have to camp overnight, mighty long way," Earl suggested.

"Sounds good. We'll give the CO a call tomorrow and ask him to send a chopper to pick us up for work." Maverick laughed. "We actually found a pretty good spot on the way here so we're going to head back towards San Diego and stop there."

"Outside Pine Valley was it?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, you know the place?"

"Certainly do, had a mighty lot of fun in those sand hills. Keep your eyes peeled for rattle snakes and cactus spikes. They both bite."

The three of them laughed as Lee finished off his coffee. "Well Ma'am, Sir it was good to meet you and I thank you for helping me out. It's been a pleasure."

"No problems young man, you come back and see us sometime or we might have to send Old Alice here looking for you." Lucy smiled warmly as the whole group laughed at Alice's smile of delight.

"No problem. You right Darry?" Lee grinned at the kid.

"Yeap."

"You want a ride?"

"Cool!"

"Well hop on then." Lee bent down so Darry could climb on and he piggy-backed him out of the café.

Maverick's jeep sat outside with the newly cleaned, freshly restored dune buggy sitting on a trailer attached to the vehicle.

"Now Madison, no drowning the dune buggy okay?" Maverick chuckled and dodged a well-aimed kick, as they climbed into the jeep.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Darry let out a yell of excitement as Maverick eased the dune buggy into gear and took off spinning the back wheels. Lee and Maddie took shelter behind the jeep so they didn't get covered in sand.

"Darry's going to be talking about this for at least a month," Lee mused out loud.

"I'd say two easily," Maddie added.

"Well until something far more exciting comes along at any rate." Lee smiled and sank down on the sand to wait for them to come back. He leant against the car in the shade, Maddie sitting down beside him.

"So how are you?" She asked with concern.

Lee shrugged, "Alright considering."

"For what it's worth, my sister was behaving like a total stranger Friday night."

"Are you trying to say it wasn't her dumping me?"

"No. Lee, think about it, since when did Ashley dump people in the blink of an eye? She's not that type, she's got a conscience and what she did was really, really strange."

"Maddie, the last thing I want to do is talk about Ashley and her strange behaviour. She dumped me okay? She also made it pretty dammed clear I was just some sort of toy to fill in the time with. End of story and no matter which way you look at it the outcome's still the same. As far as I'm concerned, it's over so let's just put it behind us and get on with things."

"You can't put it behind you Lee, you love her too much and I know for a fact she feels the same."

Lee looked at Maddie like she was looney, eventually looking away and shaking his head, "You're kidding yourself if you believe that for a second. Now can we drop the subject please?"

"Okay, I won't stay another word, promise."

"Good."

They sat their in silence that wasn't companionable but it wasn't uncomfortable either. Lee didn't say anything but Maddie's words had started him thinking. It was hard not to, having nothing to do while they waited for Maverick to come back with Darry.

He remembered something and fished his wallet out of his back pocket. Tucked into a pocket out of sight was a picture of the red-headed devil. He'd had it there for ages, hidden away, but now he pulled it out and looked at it closely. He stared at those earnest blue eyes that wouldn't hurt a soul and knew, without a doubt, that Maddie was right. Ashley had not been herself that night, she'd been up to something and whatever it was she couldn't say. It was like the other night when she disappeared until three in the morning, she couldn't say why or what for either.

"You're right, Maddie," Lee said quietly tucking the picture away. "She's too sweet to dump her friends like that."

"Now you're thinking."

"So what was she doing with Bassington?"

"My guess is looking for a way to collect evidence to help Charlie out."

"But Bassington's clean isn't he?"

"Not in so many words, he's starting to be brought to my attention big time but without hard evidence I can't say for sure it's him."

"You think that girl has seen an opportunity and taken advantage of it?"

"Something like that, you and I both know she likes to live dangerously."

"You've got that right."

"What is she Maddie, some sort of secret agent?"

Maddie sighed, "I really can't tell you Lee but I do know she's requested permission to tell you what it is she does do. When she does, you'll understand how I know she cares for you a great deal, more than your run of the mill relationship. However, because we're all so closely tied into this stolen parts case she's been denied this until the case is over. You're just going to have to wait."

"How come you know so much?"

"I met my husband through her and a her superior."

"This is a whole lot more than stolen parts isn't it?"

"Yeah it is. Charlie's being used as the scapegoat unfortunately but now that the new evidence on Bassington has come in, JAG is willing to clear Charlie of all charges."

"That's good news." He was quiet for a moment staring off into the distance. "God I hope she's alright."

"She will be, she knows how to take care of herself."

Lee laughed hollowly, "Yeah and that's what worries me most of all. Oh lookout here come the sand-bandits." He shaded his eyes to see a trail of dust being kicked up followed by the roar of an engine. Two seconds later the buggy pulled up with a grinning Maverick and Darry.

"How was it?" Lee asked.

"Unreal!" Darry jumped out full of excitement.

"She's beautiful to drive and real easy to handle," Maverick reported, undoing his harness and hopped out. Lee climbed in.

"Coming Maddie?" Lee asked her.

"You can't drive, you're probably still way over the legal limit."

"You're not driving, this little babies had enough drowning in its lifetime, thank you. Is there any water around?" Lee asked cheekily as Maddie buckled herself in and shot him a dirty look.

"Yeah there's, a couple of small lakes around."

"Lots of mud too!" Darry threw in.

"Good stuff!" Lee gave them a salute, eased the buggy into gear and took off sending Maddie into a squeal when they hit their first bump.

Half an hour later they weren't laughing, well Maddie was. She was practically on the ground she was laughing that hard. Lee just stood there staring at the four wheels poking up out of the muddy water. It had happened all so quickly he had no idea how.

Both of them were soaked from jumping clear of the rolling vehicle. Thank god it was a sunny day.

Lee groaned, shook his head, rubbed his eyes and looked back at the lake once more. Nope he wasn't seeing things. The buggy was upside down in the middle of the lake, three and a bit wheels sticking out, everything else under water.

"Are you quite finished?" He asked her annoyed.

She managed to get her breath long enough to speak, "Finished? I haven't even started yet," And dissolved into hysterics once again.

"It's not funny Maddie."

"Oh yes it is."

"This is turning out to be one crap weekend!" He glared at her again. Maddie dissolved back into laughter, her sides way beyond hurting. "Come on, Giggle-pot, let's start walking."

He turned and started following the tracks of the buggy back to where Maverick and Darry waited with the jeep.

"Oh no, I'm not following you. You've lost a girlfriend and crashed two vehicles in one weekend, next thing I know you'll be getting us lost permanently!" Maddie shot past him by a couple of paces and took up the lead.

"Fine, whatever."


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

They'd been walking for a good ten minutes and still couldn't see the Jeep or Maverick. Following the tracks of the buggy was annoying as Lee had double-backed countless times and gone on all sorts of loops.

Evenutally he stopped and his navigational skills kicked in as he got his sense of direction and turned his watch into a compass.

They were about to set off again when a loud roaring noise caught their attention.

"What's that?" Maddie asked stopping.

"Sounds like jet turbines," Lee replied puzzled, looking around to guage the direction the sound was coming from.

"What would a jet be doing out here?"

"Good question. Let's go." Lee changed direction.

They topped a rather large hill covered in mesquite and salt-bush. As they reached the top something glinted in the sun and Lee quickly dropped to the ground pulling Maddie down with him.

The jet noise was shut down.

"What is it?" Maddie hissed from beside him.

"Barbed wire, I don't think we're alone."

Maddie hummed the theme to 'third encounters of the close kind.' Lee gave her another filthy look that threatened to send her into hysterics again.

He crawled forward on his stomach to the top of the hill and the sight below him struck him momentairily speechless.

In the valley below was a compound of sorts. It had a live firing range, makeshift mountains with caves, temporary buildings and an F14 Jet Fighter. The compound was heavily guarded and razor wire topped the barbed wire.

"What the hell is that?" Maddie whispered, her sharp eyes and mind looking for a clue as to what it was.

"I'm not sure. I don't think the navy's doing any secret exercises out here."

They watched the men scurry around below and it was obvious they were trying to get the plane working. Several orange packages laid on the ground next to people working, their parts spilled out on display. They were too far away to hear conversation.

A car pulled up in the distance and they watched as the eight foot metal gate was opened, allowing it through. It drove through and once the gate was shut the occupants got out.

Two men and a captive between them, the captive was bound and gagged.

"God I wish I had the binoculars," Lee muttered.

"What I wouldn't give for a camera," Maddie agreed.

"What do you suppose this is Maddie?"

"I have no idea."

They were quiet for a minute or two as they watched the men pull the captive to their feet only to knock them straight back down with a rifle butt. A different man walked over with a hose and turned it on the captive. When that was done a fourth man grabbed the captive by the hair and dragged them along the ground, through the mud and water, all the way to the other end which had to be a good fifty feet or more. Another guard opened a barred door and the captive was literally thrown in by the hair.

"Lee this is serious stuff, we need to get back to the base and raise the alarm."

"Yeah."

Right at that moment someone appeared from another building wearing a traditional muslim headdress and battle uniform.

Maddie paled as she realized exactly what she was looking at. It was the Al Queda training compound Ashley and her Special Forces team had been looking for and they now had an F14 fighter jet in their possession.

The security of the United States was now under serious threat.

They made good time getting back to Maverick and Darry despite the heat and running through sand.

"Hey where's the buggy?" Maverick asked as they came running up.

"At the bottom of a dam, we'll explain later, right now we need to get back to the base fast," Maddie huffed out breathlessly. She pulled a bag out of the jeep and fished out a thick black phone. Maverick recognized it as a navy issued sat-phone. He watched as she pulled out an aerial and powered it up, dialing in codes as soon as it linked.

Lee was walking in circles cooling down and breathing deeply.

"What's going on? Why have you got a sat-phone?"

"Compound nearby, F14, person being held captive, definite muslim possibly Al Queda." Lee spoke in between gulping in air.

"Tact its Angel, I've found the prize, I repeat, I've found the prize……………………Forty five minutes away…………..On my way. Tact, they've got a captive. I don't know who I was too far away to make out details……………….Roger will Captain Mitchell and Sanders do? They're with me now………………………Yes sir on my way………………Oh can you get Sam to meet us, we've got Darry." She hung up the phone and jumped in the driver's seat of the jeep. "Come on! Let's move it!"

"Bossy little thing, isn't she?" Maverick joked a little to ease the mounting tension and the fact he had no idea what was going on.

"I don't think this is the time to be mucking around, despite it being Sunday afternoon," Lee sighed, jumping in the back with Darry.

"So you guys want to tell me what's really going on?" Maverick asked as Maddie drove literally like a bat out of hell. Both boys were hanging on as they skewed around corners. They'd taken the trailer off and left it by the side of the road to be recovered later.

"Maddie slow down a bit, you're scaring Darry!" Lee yelled over the rushing wind.

"Sorry," She backed off the speed but not by much. In the end, Lee slid to the middle of the seat and wrapped a comforting arm around the kid.

They made the base in record time with Maddie filling them in on what she could without revealing too much information.

Instead of heading for the regular navy side of Miramar Air Station, Maddie drove up to the gates for the Marine's. She had a couple of words with the guards and showed them a specific ID Card.

The boys were quiet as they took it all in. Their minds starting to snap and sizzle as they tried to work out just what was going on. Still driving like a madman, Maddie headed for a small non-descript building at the back of the main Marine buildings.

Just inside the doors was a pretty auburn haired girl who smiled when she saw Maddie.

"Hi Sam," Maddie gave her a welcome smile. "Thanks for helping out."

"No problems, you must be Darry?" She smiled at the bewildered kid who was now deathly quiet and clinging to Maverick. "How would you like to stay with me while your Dad helps some special people out?"

Darry shook his head and sank back against Maverick. His fun afternoon wasn't fun anymore.

"Maverick this is Sam, Commander Dunne's wife. You'll meet the Commander in a moment, in the meantime Sam here will look after Darry for you," Maddie introduced them.

"Hi Maverick." Sam extended her hand and they shook.

"That's kind of you Ma'am but I'm quite sure we won't be staying all that long. We don't work for the Marine's-"

"You will be this afternoon." A deep voice spoke as a well-groomed man in fatigues pushed through some inner doors into the small area where they stood. Lee recognized him instantly as Tactical, the man he'd met in the bar when the girls had first drowned the buggy. "Hello young man, what's your name?" The Commander squatted down in front of Darry so they were on eye-level.

"I'm Darry."

"Well Darry, I'm Commander Dunne but you can call me Tactical and this is my lovely wife Sam. She's going to be taking care of you for a little while and let me tell you, she knows how to have the best water fights."

"Really?"

"Yeap, you see this scar here?" He pointed to one on the side of his wrist. Darry nodded. "She gave me that."

"Wow!"

"Tell me something, do you like ice-cream, chocolate and marshmallows?" Again Darry nodded. "Well, I know for a fact Sam has all those at home, just ready to make rocky road ice-cream."

"Wow! Can I go Dad?" Darry turned pleading eyes onto Maverick.

"I don't know Darry-"

"He'll be well cared for with Sam." Tactical stood back up, "And I'd like to have a little chat with you both if I may? If you don't like what I'm going to tell you, you're both free to go and pick Darry up, should take no more than an hour."

"As long as it's not too much trouble?" Maverick asked uncertainly. He hated leaving Darry with strangers.

"Not at all and don't worry, I'll take very good care of him," Sam smiled.

"Alright, off you go and behave yourself."

"Cool! Thanks Dad!" Darry took the hand that Sam held out to him and raced out the doors they had just come in.

"Okay, clip these on." Maddie came back from a desk they hadn't even noticed. She handed the boys two non-descript plastic passes and the boys looked them over.

"This says we're Marine's?" Maverick asked, "We're navy."

"Gentlemen, for this afternoon's purpose you have been temporairily invited to assist the Marine Corp. I assure you it's not permanent," Tactical spoke. "Good afternoon Captain Sanders, how's that red-headed spitfire of yours going?"

"Don't ask," Lee grumbled attaching his pass.

Tactical looked at Maddie with raised eyebrows.

"I'll explain when we get inside," Maddie answered.

"Okay, gentlemen, I need you both to listen up. This is building F, the F stands for nothing in particular except for a few colourful words my men like to call it. It is a secure facility and if anyone asks it does not exist. Only a select few know it's here. To everyone else it's a disused supply hut. I would appreciate it if you do not tell anyone of it's existence."

"Yes sir!" Both boys replied clearly understanding the veiled order.

"Right follow me," he typed in a code and pushed open the heavy doors leading to the buildings interior.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Five minutes later they walked into an underground room. It contained six long meeting tables, chairs and six other men. Lee recognized Snip instantly and quite a few others from the funeral he had accompanied me too.

The men were putting together weapons, magazines, equipment and arming themselves. Suddenly Lee knew this was not your ordinary team of Marine's, in fact, nothing of the whole set-up would be regarded as ordinary.

"Gentlemen welcome to Delta Team Echo 19. These guys are what we call operators and you so much as breathe one word of their existence and I will personally kill you, understand?"

"Yes sir," Maverick and Lee replied unfazed.

"Good, now you've already met our lovely Commander Harris, known to us as Angel. This here is Snip, Santa, Babycakes, Yeller, Dynamite and Chief. They are what we call an assault or recon team, depending on their purpose at the time."

"So you guys are special forces?" Maverick asked.

"That is correct Captain."

"And Ashley?"

"Also Special Forces, known to us as Kaz and its not short for Kazanski either," Tactical said with a knowing smile. The other team members all snickered.

"It's short for Catastrophe," Snip spoke up and walked over to Lee extending his hand in a friendly gesture. "Good to see you again and I am sorry for pissing you off at your party. Believe me Kaz was most uncomplimentary after that." Snip apoligised to Lee.

Lee couldn't resist a grin at the comment. "I imagine she wouldn't have been." He shook Snip's hand and accepted the apology.

"Where is she, if she's supposed to be one of you guys?"

"That's what we were hoping you could tell us. It seems our little sniper queen has gone AWOL," Tactical supplied.

"Sniper queen?" Lee asked surprised, although he shouldn't have been.

"Yes, Captain, she's a Sniper. Best in her class too that's why we have her, we only take the best and now that you've all been introduced let's get down to business. What have you got for us Angel?"

"We stumbled across a compound roughly one hour ago. Lee knows the co-ordinates. It's surrounded by an eight foot barbed wire fence and guards. In the compound we saw an F14 Tomcat being worked on. A car also arrived carrying three people, one of which appeared to be bound and gagged. While the men in the compound were wearing ordinary fatigues and battle dress a man appeared wearing the traditional muslim headdress. I believe it's the training compound we've been looking for."

Tactical pulled a map across the desk towards them. Lee scanned it quickly and marked out the area of the compound. Maddie drew a sketch up on the whiteboard of the compound layout.

"This is what we saw," She instructed as the other team members gathered round. "They've got guards here, here and here. Temporary buildings set up here." She marked the places with crosses in different colours. "The F14 was here and the prisoner we saw taken away is being held here. I don't know how many people are actually in the compound or if there are more prisoners but I counted about thirty men wandering around."

"Okay, gentlemen I need someone who can fly an F14 and you're it," Tactical spoke to Maverick and Lee. "We need you to sneak into the compound, power up the plane and get it out of there. We can't risk it leaving the United States. Our Intel tells us it is a fully operational fighter which means the on-board systems are worth more than an oil barrel on the right market. We believe this is a blatant attempt by Al Queda to kidnap a fully armed and working fighter jet and that they will use it against the united states."

"Sir, they don't have the pilots to fly our fighters so I don't think they will get it out of the country. Also, they'll need a runway of at least 10,000 feet to take off on." Maverick stated.

"Unfortunately Captain, they do now posses two men with the knowledge to fly." Tactical placed two 8x10 photo's in front of him and Lee. "These guys are Luitennant's Matheson and Rodney. They have been identified as Al Queda sympathisers and have just completed your-"

"Top Gun training I recognize the names," Maverick muttered angrily. "But even so, they have to have a runway to take off from."

"Captain let me ask you this; how hard is it, when you're a qualified F14 pilot to log in a mission and take off from this base?"

"Not very hard sir."

"Exactly and I do believe their nearest and safest take off point is right here under our noses. What we want to do is get that plane out of their hands, if necessary, we will destroy it, but for some reason the Pentagon wants it in one piece. We need two men to fly it and you happen to be available. Intel tells us that the Al Queda organization is trying to amass these planes in order to use them against us and we have to stop them."

"Isn't that treason or something?" Lee asked.

"Its one of those high up federal penalities, yes. I need to know here and now if you two men are prepared to risk your lives in order to stop this plane from falling into enemy hands? It will be dangerous and you will be shot at, possibly injured or even killed."

"Since when did that threat never apply to us?" Maverick laughed.

"I assure you Captain this is a lot more life threatening than a dog-fight. There will be live fire and it will be loose and chaotic, you also run the risk of being captured and tortured for information. However, you follow my team's instructions and keep your head's down, you should be alright. Now are you with us or do I phone your CO for two more pilots with backbone?"

"No sir, we'll do it easy." Maverick hackles rose as Tactical hoped they would.

"Good. Now, what will happen is this; Echo 19 will go in here with B Team on standby for back up. Angel and Snip will recover the prisoner while the rest of the team escort you, hopefully safely, to the plane. They'll cover you if necessary. Both of you are to remain behind, under cover, until you hear this," Tactical pressed a button and suddenly Maverick's watch beeped three times startling him.

"Impressive huh?" Maddie grinned at him.

"Yeah."

"When you hear that signal it will then be safe to enter the compound, where my boys will meet you and escort you to the plane. You will do everything they say or you will not come back alive, understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Gentlemen you are about to accompany a crack force of the infamous Delta's on a mission, I don't need to tell you how crucial it is that you do not deviate from the plan unless otherwise instructed by my team. If anything happens to them, the government denies they exist. I need to ask you again, are you willing to help us out in order to protect and defend the United States from possible future terror attacks?"

"Yes sir."

"Right, now back to our little catastrophe. She hasn't reported in or she'd be here so where is she this time?" He looked at Angel.

"Last time I saw Kaz, was Friday night and she was chatting up Lutennant Bassington. I suspect she may have gone home with him."

"When I get my hands on that girl she will not be able to sit down for at least a year! She knew not to let herself be left alone with Bassington! I expressly ordered her not to put herself in that position, she knew how dangerous he was!"

"Bassingon's a CO of a friend of ours, why is he a problem?" Maverick asked.

"Luitennant Bassington has been identified as an Al Queda sleeper," Maddie filled in. "We believe he's the one responsible for setting up the compound, I've been tailing and collecting information on him for awhile now."

"That's why its taken you so long to solve Charlie's case. You weren't working on stolen parts you were following Bassington?" Maverick stated more than asked.

"Yes," Maddie replied. "Charlie and the stolen parts case was a cover. We used him because he already had a history of dabbling in stolen parts which made it the perfect cover."

"So who actually planted the parts on him?" Lee asked slightly annoyed.

"Both myself and Bassington."

"Gentlemen let's continue the interrogation after we get this plane and captive home shall we? We will explain all upon your return, if you return. Right now, we need to get that plane out of there, the captive home and find our missing sniper. Make sure Bassington comes back alive so I can personally question him. We leave here at 20.00 hours so you have four hours to get some rest and something to eat. Meet back here at 19.45 and no leaving the building."

Lee had never quite had a weekend like it in his life. He'd been dumped, smashed his car, drowned a recreational vehicle and was now about to assist a secretive special forces team to recover a plane. How many gods had he pissed off this time?

"Grab a seat boys, I'd like to have a chat with you first," Tactical said as the other's filed out of the room to get some sleep and food. Maddie stayed behind and cozied up to Maverick. Tactical didn't say anything.

"How's the navy treating you Captain?" Tactical asked looking straight at Lee.

"It's not too bad, we're up for another promotion which means more hours behind a desk."

"That's a shame, letting all that talent go to waste."

"It's not about talent sir, we have to keep a number of hours up to retain our wings and it's getting harder and harder to do that unless of course we want to spend our weekends flying," Maverick answered. "Not that I mind but I'd much rather be doing other things." He looked at Maddie pointedly.

"Wouldn't we all Captain, wouldn't we all," Tactical sighed. "Have you given much thought to what we talked about Captain?" Tactical turned to Lee.

"Yes sir."

"And?"

"And with this red-head behaving like the little minx she is and turning my life upside down, I really haven't had a chance to seriously consider it or talk to Maverick."

"Now you know why we call her Catastrophe. Kaz originally started out as short for Kazanski when she joined us six years ago, but over time its been converted to Catastrophe and, while she didn't like it, the team made it stick."

"Are you two really sisters?" Maverick asked Maddie.

"No, that was part of our cover."

"That makes sense. So what information have you been keeping from me this time Lee?" Maverick asked matter-of-factly.

"Shall I let you explain? It would appear I'm required elsewhere for a moment. Excuse me gentlemen and lady." Tactical left the room with a young marine who was beckoning to him from the doorway.

"I've met Tactical once before when he bought me a bottle of the best scotch in town the night these two drowned our buggy." Lee glared and Maddie who had to bury her head in Maverick's shoulder, she was giggling that hard. "Anyway he was saying that if we liked helo's, he knew of someone who was looking for veteran pilots. Combat experience etc. Gave me a number to call. To be honest Mav, I'd forgotten all about it."

"Helo's are fun, I can handle them," Maverick said with a contented look.

"I'd say Tactical was talking about the Night Stalkers, have you heard of them?" Maddie asked.

Both boys nodded.

"That stands to reason, Tactical and you are special forces and the Night Stalkers only work with Special Forces teams," Maverick mused out loud.

"Exactly and I know for a fact these boys aren't just young kids fresh out of training, they are veteran pilots all over the age of thirty. Most of them come from all branches of the defence forces with hours of combat experience behind them. If you don't want to fly combat you can transfer into instructing but as long as you want to fly and are able to fly, they will let you."

"Interested?" Tactical walked back into the room and the conversation as though he'd never been away.

"Definitely," Both boys replied at the same time.

"Good, Maddie, Dragon and Buzby have landed, how about you take them down to the appropriate area so they can have a chat?"

"Who are Dragon and Buzby?" Maverick asked already knowing the answer but needing to hear it for himself.

"Two of our Night Stalker pilots." Tactical smiled knowingly. "They'll be assisting us in carrying out this mission. I'll see all three of you back here at 19.45. Angel?"

"Sir?"

"Make sure they get some food and rest."

"Yes sir. Follow me?" Maddie smiled at the boys as she led them out the door.

"To the ends of the earth," Maverick answered smoothly earning himself several groans off both his partner and girlfriend.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

**2100 That Night**

The padlock on the gate shattered and Angel slid the heavy iron bolt back. She pushed the gate open and stood back allowing Snip to stand in the open doorway, gun at the ready. While Snip covered one side of the cell Angel slipped in beside him, gun at the ready and covered the other side.

The cell was bare, soaking wet and it stank. All they could see was a pile of rancid, bloodied rags in a corner. Angel started walking towards it to check it out when she noticed some bare bloodied toes curl back underneath the edges of the rags.

That wasn't a pile of rags, it was a person and they literally seemed to shrink right before her very eyes.

"Hi I'm Commander Madison Harris with the United States Marine Corp and you're safe now," Angel said as she knelt down.

The bundle of rags shifted but that was about all.

"Do you have a name? Can you tell me your name?" Angel asked, looking at Snip helplessly.

Suddenly a filthy, clearly broken hand extended itself from the pile and was placed on Angel's arm. Angel could feel a slight pressure in the fingertips as they tried to squeeze her arm.

"Angel, that's a girl," Snip spoke quietly so as not to startle the person.

"Yeah, I guessed as much. Her hand's so cold." Angel patted it trying to warm it up.

"Okay, how about if I call you Hand for now, is that okay?" No answer. "Hand, I have a friend with me, his name's Snip and he's going to help me get you out of here and home to your family."

Suddenly the hand disappeared back into the pile of rags and Angel watched helplessly as they started to shake a little.

"How long have you been in here?" Maddie asked in a conversational tone trying to get the girl to open up and talk. "Are you American? I'm not, I'm actually Australian but I kind of like America. I bet you miss your family lot's? They're probably worried sick about you."

"Angel, come on we haven't got the time for this," Snip hissed quietly from his lookout post in the cell doorway.

"Give me a couple of minutes, I don't want to frighten her more."

"We haven't got time, give her the syrup and let's go," Snip referred to a syringe they both carried full of a drug to knock a person out.

Angel sighed and tried a few more questions but there was no hand or other response which left Maddie with little choice.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to have to give you something to help you sleep. When you wake up you'll be out of here and in a safe place under guard okay?"

Suddenly the bundle of bloodied, smelly rags exploded and Maddie was given a powerful shove sending her sprawling backwards on the wet concrete floor. The girl fled to the opposite corner and huddled back down, pulling the filthy rags all around her so she couldn't be seen. It had all happened so fast that neither Snip or Angel got a look at her. The girl sat there whimpering and shaking.

"Angel what's your status over?" Silencer's voice burst through her earpiece.

"Problems releasing the prisoner, they aren't co-operating."

"Just knock her out and let's go."

"I'm trying."

"Hurry up, out."

Angel sighed and uncapped the syringe, removing air-bubbles. Snip moved in swiftly and found a foot, yanking it out into the clear. Angel made an educated guess as to where her thigh was and equally as swift jabbed the needle in. The screaming that assaulted their ears was hysterical but two seconds later the girl was unconscious.

Snip pulled the rags away from the girl when he realized they weren't rags but what was left of her clothes. Her head had been shaved and her face was nothing but a swollen bloodied pulp, her features completely unrecognisable. Her eyes swollen shut from the repeated beatings that she had endured. Her body was bruised in all manner of places, her fingers, toes, hands and feet looked broken and she was covered in grazes. She had obviously been dragged along the ground quite a lot. The were small burnt patches on her skin was in line with electric shock treatment. It was obvious the girl had been through hell.

Quickly Angel removed her fatigue shirt and wrapped it around the unconscious girl, hoping to preserve some dignity.

Carefully Snip hoisted her up over his shoulder and they started making their way out to rejoin the team.

The fighting outside the small cell was fierce and it was left up to Angel to defend them as they rejoined their team. Up in the fighter, they could see Maverick and Lee working furiously at getting the plane up and running while bullets galore punched holes through the surrounding metal. The canopy was nothing but shattered plexi-glass and useless. Both boys had been once but thanks to their protective Kevlar vests they were still alive.

Suddenly a deep humming sound came from above and Silencer looked upwards. It was the sound of the fighter powering up.

Angel and Snip, with the captive, came in behind the fighter's belly. There team mates hiding behind the fighter's wheels for protection.

"It's about time!" Silencer yelled as he rattled off four shots bringing down two men.

"Sorry, Angel was trying to sweet talk the girl into leaving the cell," Snip answered.

"Girl? Our captive is a girl?" Silencer asked, not fully believing what he was hearing.

"Yeap!" Angel replied as she rattled off a couple of shots at an enemy group.

"Where the hell did these guys come from? I thought we got most of them when we got here?" Snip asked.

"Inside the buildings, they've been pouring out, roughly a dozen at a time every three minutes. They pile up their dead like sandbags and hide behind them," Santa replied.

"It's times like these we could really use Kaz. So they're in behind barricades while we're hiding under a chunk of tin?" Snip asked.

"Yeap," Silencer answered.

"Babycakes hand me that RPG launcher, I've had enough of this." Dynamite glared at the enemy as Babycakes handed over the launcher. "Time to even the score."

Dynamite shot off two rounds of RPG's and watched in satisfaction as they slammed into two enemy nests.

"Okay, Snip, I'm calling in our ride. I want you to drop our captive off. Get Santa and Chief to provide you with covering fire." Angel ordered before radioing for the chopper to get them out.

"Maverick? Lee? What's happening up there?" Angel keyed her throat mike in.

"We've got power and some fuel but not enough to get this baby off the ground," Maverick radioed back. "Lee what have you got?"

"Nothing works back here. It looks like the on-board guidance systems have been tampered with."

"Anything to help get the missiles on-line?"

"Negative."

"Angel you copy?" Maverick radioed in.

"Go ahead Mav?"

"We're going to have to blow this baby, its useless."

"Roger, let me know when you're ready."

"Hey Lee, you remember Jewel Of The Nile?" Maverick asked.

"Can't do it the missile guidance systems are screwed."

"Exactly, mayhem, confusion and pandemonium in a place that has to be destroyed. Confuse hell out of the enemy."

"We got enough power for launching?"

"A little bit of doctoring and I think we can do it."

"Okay, I'll try and set the missiles up for manual release but we'd best wait until the helo's out of the way with the captive or we might make a nasty situation a whole lot worse."

"Gotcha, in the meantime, let's see if the 9mm works."

Two minutes later the team underneath had their ears assaulted by the rat-a-tat-tat of the 9mm cannon that sat underneath the nose cone of the fighter.

"Okay Lee let's see if we can cut those missiles loose."

"Roger that."

"Angel this is Maverick, we are about to let loose two sidewinders and four heat seeking missiles. They should fire straight ahead but you guys stay flat in case they circle back around. You should be safe."

"Roger that, thanks Maverick."

Five seconds later there was a rumbling boom from the plane as Maverick and Lee cut loose the missiles. The heat seekers went beserk looking for heat and it was quite funny to watch them duck, dive, twist and turn in every direction. Eventually they zeroed in on body heat and slammed into the enemy. The sidewinders did what they were meant to, flew sideways and slammed into each other.

Any enemy still alive dropped their weapons and ran for the gate.

Maverick laughed, released a couple of levers and the plane moved, turning in the direction of the fleeing enemy with a touch of the stick. The boys gathered speed and chased them down the length of the compound.

"Do you want these guys dead or alive?" Maverick radioed to Angel who was watching the action, rather impressed.

"Better keep them alive, they'll be wanted for questioning and they're unarmed."

"Roger."

They heard the whump, whump, whump of a second bird and watched as a pick up crew settled neatly in front of the gate preventing the enemy from getting out, the left hand door gunner trained his machine gun right at them.

Al Queda were caught between a rock and a hard place.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Angel watched the mayhem and pandemonium that had broken loose. The team biting back laughter at the confused Al Queda when she saw him break away. He was hunched over low running, heading for the building they had rescued the captive from.

Bassington.

This time he was not going to get away, at least not from her. Besides they still hadn't found Ashley yet and the fear he may have done away with her was running strong through the team. She wanted to know what had happened to her friend.

Angel pulled the clip out of her MP7 and checked what was left, five bullets, not enough. She tossed it aside and loaded a fresh one.

"Silencer!" She keyed in her mike. "I'm going after Bassington."

"Angel you can't be in two places at once."

"You're right I can't, take over for me."

"I already have," he muttered more to himself than her, "Take Chief with you."

"No, I'll move better on my own." Angel ran off in the direction she had seen Bassington go.

"Dam!" Silencer swore at the wayward girl. "Alright men, Angel's gone after Bassington. I need one of you to cover her. Yeller and Dynamite, you cuff those idiots and radio in for a transport. The rest of us will start setting charges." Silencer issued the order. "What's the ETA on the second pick up over?" Silencer radioed the Tactical Operations Centre.

"Buzby and Dragon have off loaded the captive and are on their way back to you. ETA approx 15 minutes. Ummm Silencer?" The TOC operator came back to him in a seriously quiet tone.

"Yeah?"

"The captive is Kaz."

Angel tailed Bassington watching when he entered the cell. She slithered in behind him.

"Luitennant Bassington I presume or perhaps I should call you Miftah Emami?" Her voice alerted him to the fact he wasn't alone while the click of her gun being cocked sounded deafening in the cell.

He turned slowly and found himself staring down the barrel of her Glock.

"Why Commander Harris, what brings you out here?" He smiled evily.

"Where's Ashley?"

"Who?"

"Ashley! Luitennant Commander Ashley Kazanski, last seen dancing with you at the Officer's Club 48 hrs ago."

"I have no idea."

"You're lying."

"I assure you I am not. Now is there something you wanted?"

"Yes I'm placing you under arrest for the attempt to pervert the course of justice, three accounts of stealing Navy property and treason against the-"

She gasped as a well placed kick cut her off. The kick slammed into her wrist causing her to drop the gun. Quickly Bassington kicked the gun away and slipped a choking hold on her, holding his own gun to her head.

"Surely you didn't think you were going to arrest me that easily did you?" Bassington laughed. "You Americans are so naieve, thinking you can arrest people whenever you feel like it. Where is your evidence for this treason?"

"It's that fighter jet sitting outside. We believe you plan to take it to Afghanistan so it can be used against the united states of Amercia."

Bassington laughed, "Why would I give a perfectly good fighter plane to Afghanistan?"

"Because you aren't American are you?"

"I am, I was born and raised here and for the past eight years I have served my country."

"Your real name is Miftah Emami and you are a known member of the terrorist organisztion, Al Queda. You were placed in America at the age of five and awarded a new name and identity papers, until such orders came through for your activation."

"You have done your homework haven't you? What a pity. Such a waste having to shoot someone as pretty as you." Bassington still held his gun to her head and he cocked it.

"Drop your weapon NOW!" A voice broke in and a second gun was pointed straight at Bassington's head.

Bassington hesitated.

"I said drop your weapon now or I will shoot you." It was Maverick, come to collect his Angel. He'd seen and heard her going after Bassington and decided to follow when she disappeared into the prisoners cell.

"Don't kill him Maverick, we need him alive for questioning," Maddie stated calmly.

Suddenly Bassington let her go, pushing her to her knee's as he whirled on the balls of his feet and let loose with a series of kicks at Maverick.

To Maverick it was all in slow motion and he neatly sidestepped and ducked Bassington's kicks. Maddie grabbed up her gun where it lay and fired off a quick warning shot that skimmed Bassington's shoulder, drawing blood.

The look on Bassington's face was pure fury as he whirled to face Angel. She stood straight and steady, gun cocked ready to fire. "The next one has your name on it."

"You can't kill me, I'm the only one who knows where your precious Kaz is."

"That's what you think. Do you want to kill him or shall I?" She looked over at Maverick who mirrored her stance.

Bassington laughed in a mocking manner and Maverick's patience slipped as he slammed a boot into his kneecap. The man was still standing so he slammed his boot into Bassington's other kneecap and with a cry of extraordinary pain, Bassington dropped like a sack of potato's.

"Nice move," Angel admired.

"I've done SERE training too."

"Angel, Maverick you've got one minute till she blows," Silencer's voice came over their earpieces.

"One minute, think we'll make it?" Angel asked teasingly.

"Babe with you around, anything's possible."

Angel smiled walked over to him and kissed him. "Let's go, we're wasting time. He's not going anywhere."

"Hey you're the one who's kissing me," Maverick responded cheekily as they left the damp cell. Angel slammed the iron gate behind her, just for good measure. "Isn't he wanted for questioning?"

"Only in relation to where Kaz is."

"Ahhhhh in that case, goodnight."

"Ever seen one of these before?" Angel asked as they walked into an open area of the compound pulling a maghook out of a pouch on her back. It was a high powered grappling hook with a bulbous magnetic charged head.

"Does this mean I get to go flying without a parachute?"

"Something like that. Wrap your arms around me and hold on tight."

"Like you have to ask me to do that twice." Maverick smiled deeply as he did as he was told. "Now this is cozy." He looked down at her, her face millimetere's away from his.

"Buzby, you copy?" Angel radioed.

"Yeah Angel, go ahead, where are you?"

"Southern end of the compound, you've got thirty seconds left to pick me up, can you do it?"

"No sweat."

Angel watched and listened for the helo as the seconds counted down. The timer was down to 20 before she heard him.

15, 14, 13 before she even saw him, 'Come on Buzby, don't let me down.' 10, 9, 8, 7, he was overhead but out of reach of the maghook. 'Dam!' "Buzby come in lower," She ordered. 4, 3, 2, 1 BOOM!!

As the shock wave jolted the helo there was a mighty bang on the underside and everyone looked at each other.

"Angel!" Was the collective sigh of relief and understanding. Yeller leaned out the helo and took a look underneath. He straightened up and grinned at the others.

"Yeap she's on board alright."

Attached to the bottom of the helo was the magnetized head of the maghook. Hanging below that on fifty feet of rope was Angel and Maverick holding on and going for the ride of their life.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

**Lee**

"What on earth have you done to yourself this time, you crazy girl?" He asked talking quietly to the still figure in the bed he sat beside.

The swelling had gone down somewhat but the hideous bruising was still coming out. The white of the hospital pillow making it seem worse than what it was. It was three days later and his red-headed temper tantrum lay in a coma. Doctors felt it was her bodies way of coping with the physical and mental torture she had been through. They were confident she would wake up given time.

All ten fingers had been broken, pulled from their sockets and bent at hideous angles, tendons and ligaments torn in all directions. Her rib-cage was badly bruised along with her face. She was in a bad way and would be needing lots of loving care and who better to give her that but himself.

The doctors weren't so concerned about her physical state as they were about her mental state. It was obvious she had been through some horrific times in the two days she was held.

He remembered the first time they had met. Her in all her fiery red-headed glory at five am ordering him to get out of his own house. He smiled at the fight that had raged between them. When she hadn't got her own way she had tried to forcibly remove him from the house. It hadn't worked.

Lee sat back in the horribly hard plastic chair, smiling to himself as he remembered the many and varied arguments they had got into. Even when she was wrong she still argued the point, making him want to kiss her all the more. There was no way this whirlwind temper tantrum was going to go down without a fight and that was what she needed right now, something to fight for.

"Dam it girl if you survive this I'll bludy well marry you!" Lee hissed in her ear. He figured if she loved him enough she'd pull through even if it was only to tell him to get lost.

"How is she Captain Sanders, still no change?" A nurse asked coming into the room and hooking up another IV bag. Her room was flooded with flowers and cards from well-wishers.

"Nope."

"Why don't you go home and get some sleep, you really look like you could use it," the nurse suggested kindly. "I'm off duty in a couple of minutes so I can sit with her if you like?"

"Yeah maybe I should."

"Go on, we'll look after her and I'll call you if there's any change at all." She gently drew him from the chair and pushed him out the door.

"Lee?" The girl in the bed croaked that sounded more like a cough. Her broken fingers moved hesitantly across the bed covers searching for something but not finding it, the effort sending her back into the land of unconsciouness.

"Any change?" Maverick asked when his partner let himself into the house.

Lee shook his head, tossed his keys onto a nearby table and ran his hands down over his face looking utterly defeated. "I've tried everything to get her to wake up and talk to me but nothing seems to work. I even proposed to the minx."

Maverick looked at his partner shocked.

"Don't look at me like that Mitchell, I do have feelings for her."

"Sorry Lee," Maverick laughed lightly, "I guess I never expected to hear something like that coming from you."

"Yeah well, maybe it's time I faced up to things. I don't know." He collapsed into a lounge chair and shoved his feet up on the coffee table.

"Why don't you go upstairs and have a nice hot shower? Maddie and I have dinner under control. Should be ready soon."

"Yeah you're right. Thanks Mav." Lee got wearily to his feet and pulled himself up the stairs. He never made it to the shower as he took one look at his bed, fell upon it and into a deep soundless sleep.

"Lee! Lee wake up!" Maddie shook the tired Captain.

"Huh?" He murmured groggily, "Oh Maddie is dinner ready?"

"You slept past dinner, its midnight. The hospital just called, Ashley's regained consciousness and is asking for us."

"I'm up." Lee bolted off the bed, still fully dressed.

Maddie followed him out the door and downstairs to where Maverick stood waiting, the three of them crossing the base in record time.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

**Six Months Later**

"Everyone can I have your attention please?!" All our heads turned towards Tactical and Snip.

"I need the bride and groom to come with me," Snip continued.

"The rest of you are welcome to follow, especially Maverick and his Angel," Tactical continued.

"What are you up to Tactical?" I asked as Maddie pulled me up from my comfortable spot on Lee's lap, big white dress and all.

"You'll see." He smiled at us mysteriously.

"Oh I dread to think." I laughed as Maddie pulled me along behind her.

We followed Tactical and Snip to the front of the house where the boys of my old Sniper team stood in front of a huge shape covered in tarps.

"One of these is a wedding present from the team to Lee and our beloved Catastrophe, the other one is so you two don't get jealous," Snip said.

Everyone laughed as the boys pulled the sheets off to reveal two brand new dune buggy's, one red, one blue.

"Now there are some rules regarding these vehicles," Tactical continued. "Ashley the red one's yours, matches the hair."

"Ha ha very funny Tactical!" I yelled nestling into Lee as he slid his arms around me.

Tactical smiled while Snip continued, "Here's the key's and they even have your name on it. Under no circumstances are you to let Lee drive it."

"Oh that can definitely be arranged," I quipped as everyone burst into laughter.

"Maverick," Tactical spoke next, "The blue one is yours and here's your key's with your name on them. Again, under no circumstances are you to let Angel drive it."

Maverick laughed, "Easy fixed." He grinned at an indignant Maddie.

"We are giving them to you two because you haven't drowned them. We also took a vote and next time someone does drown them, we aren't recovering them," Snip finished off.

Everyone was laughing as they all knew the story of Maddie drowning the first one and Lee the second.

After much laughter, hugs, thank you's and checking them over our guests made their way around the back to continue the party. We had yet to cut the cake. I couldn't resist a gloating smile at Lee. Who sighed and pulled me into his arms.

"Alright smarty pants, rub it in why don't you?" He smiled down at me.

"Oh I will, don't you worry."

"I know you will. Happy?" He bent down and kissed me.

"Yes."

"Good." He kissed me again when Maverick tapped him on the shoulder.

"There's a late arrival just pulled up who I think you might want to meet," Maverick suggested.

"Who?" Lee asked.

"You'll see."

The four of us stood there as a navy car pulled up and a navy chauffeur opened the rear doors for the occupants. A very distinguished man who looked a lot like Lee, except with silvery grey hair alighted from one side while an elegantly dressed lady got out of the other. Following them was another man, similar in looks and a younger lady with the same jet black hair as her brothers.

"Mum! Dad! What are you doing here?" Lee let me go to greet his parents.

"Well we couldn't very well miss our own sons's wedding now could we," Mrs Sanders stepped back and surveyed her handsome younger son with approval. "You're looking good my boy, this girl must be looking after you."

"She is. Hi Dad, thanks for coming. It means a lot." Lee shook his father's hand.

"Wouldn't have missed it. We would have been here sooner except we were delayed in Honalulu."

"Hey Mon, good to see you," He gave his sister and brother a hug. "You too Pierre. Don't tell me you left France just to come to my wedding?"

Pierre smiled, "Not quite dear brother, I have a gallery in LA interested in exhibiting my work so I thought while I was here I'd come down for the wedding."

"Of course, come and meet Ashley." He offered his Mum and his sister his arm and escorted them over to where I stood nervously fidgeting with my engagement and new wedding ring. "Ashley, I'd like to you to meet my Mum and Dad, George and Rachael, and this is my older sister Monique and older brother Pierre. Everyone this is my wife Ashley."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Ashley and please call me Rachael." Mrs Sanders embraced me in a welcoming hug.

"It's nice to meet you too." I returned her hug when suddenly I was engulfed in a huge hug from Lee's father.

"Any woman who can tame my wayward son deserves a gold medal in my books." He laughed heartily and I looked at Lee amused.

"Dad! I wasn't that bad!"

"Oh no? The bill for our maids was ten times that of your mother's and sister's wardrobes put together when you lived at home."

"Dad!" Lee cried indignantly.

"Shall I fill our blushing bride in on just how terrible you were," George kept up his teasing until his wife elbowed him and hissed at him to shut up.

"It's okay Mr Sanders, I already know. I'd only been here a week when I found him on the verandah watching two perky blondes wash their cars in bikini's, not to mention the parade of women that left the house at six am every weekend religiously."

"You'd better watch this one, she know's what your like and please call me George." He patted my hand and tucked it in the crook of his elbow, happily escorting me around the back to rejoin our guests. "Now is your family here?"

"I don't have any real family but my adopted one is."

Behind me, Lee smothered his laughter and I was tempted to slam my free elbow backwards into him.

I was saved from having to answer as Maverick and Darry strolled over to greet the Sanders. They had known them for as long as he and Lee had been partnered.

It was late and the sun was going down. Most of our guests had gone home, Lee and I were snuggled up on the dance floor swaying to the music. The lawn was littered with beer bottles, empty wine glasses, paper plates, balled up napkins, confetti, white crepe paper and all the other stuff that goes with a wedding. The navy catering staff had started to clean up.

Finally the DJ cut the music and started packing up his equipment so we joined Maddie, Maverick and the Sanders.

"I see you're a red head Ashley, is it natural?" Monique asked me.

"Yes it is," I answered quietly, consciously aware of the short style I had at the moment. It had been horrible having lost all my beautiful hair when Al Queada shaved it off but as Lee said it would grow back. For the wedding Maddie had organized some hair extensions for me in my natural colour which helped greatly.

"So tell me dear brother, how did you and this pretty little thing meet?" Pierre asked pleasantly. I was a good foot shorter than him, who was taller than Lee, so he christened me little.

Lee laughed, "Base housing stuffed up and allocated us the same house. She broke in at five am and promptly tried to move me out. The argument raged for at least two days until I dumped her in the shower."

"I did not break in. I unlocked the front door and walked in. After all it was my house."

"So? I was here first."

"And what's that got to do with anything?"

"It has plenty to do with it."

"No it doesn't"

Suddenly Maddie's shrill whistle cut across our argument, silencing us.

"Sorry Maddie," I looked ashamed.

"So you should be," She scolded me. "This is a wedding not a boxing match."

"I agree," Mrs Sanders sided with Maddie.

I stuck my tongue out at them both which set Lee's sister off giggling. "Now I see why you married her Lee, she knows how to argue back."

"Exactly." He gave me a hug.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Half an hour later we made our way inside where the Mosquitoe's couldn't eat us alive and we could make ourselves some coffee. I found Darry, Suzie and Jemma all sound asleep in Maverick's room with the movie Stuart Little playing away to itself. Suzie and Jemma hadn't wanted to go back to the hotel with Leanne so I offered to keep them for the night.

I was coming back downstairs to join everyone in the kitchen when Charlie and Rebecca came in from having taken Leanne out to dinner and dropping her back at the hotel.

"Haven't you taken that frothy thing off yet Ashley?" Rebecca asked me as I came back downstairs.

"No, I kind of like it. Did you have a nice dinner?"

"It was lovely."

"Good, come through to the kitchen and meet Lee's family."

"They're here?"

"Very late arrival but yes they made it. Another reason why I haven't taken this dress off, they want photo's too."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Like there hasn't been enough of those taken already."

"George, Rachael this is my adopted niece Rebecca and her boyfriend, Charlie. Guys this is Mr and Mrs Sanders, Monique, Lee's older sister and Pierre, his older brother."

"Hi nice to meet you." Rebecca smiled nicely and went and helped herself to coffee.

"Madison was just telling us all about spying on three boys, I trust you were the third?" Rachael Sanders turned to Charlie as he slid into an empty seat.

"Yes Ma'am but I believe it was all unintentional."

"Oh?"

"I was the cover for the whole operation wasn't I?" Charlie looked from me to Maddie questioningly.

"Cover? Operation? Sounds like the James Bond book I've been reading," Monique laughed.

Maddie and I exchanged a look.

"You weren't cover at all Charles, you were just another storm in a teacup thrown into the already overflowing pot." Maddie smoothly changed the conversation's direction.

"So tell me dear brother, we know how you met our lovely little newest sister, what adventures did you two get up too?"

"Oh trust me Pierre you don't want to hear about those."

"Oh trust me Lee I do or I wouldn't ask. We all know nothing runs smooth when you're determined to get a girl so do tell."

Everyone laughed.

"Well I had my hands pretty much full with this one, but there was a few crazy things happening at the same time."

"Such as?" George asked.

"Such as Lee and Charlie getting stuck in the CO's closet when he came home for some alone time with his wife," Maverick threw in, quite happy setting the cat amongst the pigeons.

"Hey at least I wasn't talking about stroking pussy while she was sitting right behind you," Lee threw back. The Sanders smiled knowingly at each other. They knew what their son and partner were like.

"How did you come to be in the CO's closet in the first place?" I asked surprised.

"We were hiding Charlie and took him to Karen's house, you know how much she loves to do all the wrong things-"

"I wouldn't call that afternoon wrong," Charlie chuckled earning himself a smack from Lee.

"Anyway, while I was there, Tom came home. Karen told us to hide so we ran upstairs and hid in the closet in the nearest bedroom which happened to be there's."

"It was great, the doors were slatted so we had both-"

"No need to go into detail Charles, I'm sure they all get the gist of what we saw. God knows they are laughing that hard they must understand something." Lee looked around the table at us all holding our sides laughing.

"The best part was I rang him right in the middle of it all," Maverick's smile said a lot.

"And what crazy things did you do Ashley?" Rachael turned to me.

"Oh I don't know, I was kind of good compared to this lot."

"Huh! Who blew up my kettle?" Lee asked me.

"Who put four flaming locks and a warning bell on the bathroom door?"

"Who ate my breakfast?"

"Who tricked me into a phone call and stole that breakfast?"

"Who kept walking into the bathroom unannounced whenever she felt like it?"

"Now that I admit too, you were a really good view first thing in the morning." I smirked as everyone else laughed.

"Sounds like some good times to be had in this place. What about you Maverick? What things did you get up too?" Rachael asked again.

"Oh can I answer this one?" Maddie grinned impishly at him.

Maverick sighed, "Go ahead."

"Let's see now, he kidnapped my main suspect in the case I was investigating and hid him in our attic overnight. He then kept kissing me to distract me from the case-"

"Which you loved."

"Be quiet, I'm telling this story, he took me flying, only the flaps fell off the plane and we crashed on landing. What else was there?"

"I came home and found you rifling through my pockets."

"I was looking for evidence, you interefered in the case that much, I was worried you were involved too."

"You were not."

"Maverick don't annoy the girl," Rachael warned him.

"Yes Mum," He replied cheekily, poking his tongue out at her. "I guess I can't tell them about you two and our buggy then?" Maverick asked looking at Maddie and I with raised eyebrows.

"We drowned it," I stated quickly knowing the story was going to come out.

"Where?" George asked.

"In the ocean in about four foot of water. Maddie was driving," Lee supplied. "Maverick and I had just come in from work when two very wet sandy girls pulled up in Mav's jeep with an empty trailer. They were quite a sight."

"And who drowned the buggy a second time Lee Sanders?" Maddie asked mockingly.

"I did but if I hadn't we never would have found that compound and rescued this lovely lady." He hugged me again.

"Rescued? Sounds ominous," Pierre stated.

"Yeah it was. She dumped me one night for some Luitennant who turned out to be mixed up in the stolen parts ring that Maddie was investigating. It turns out he was a very dangerous man and held her prisoner. None of us knew what happened to her until Maddie arrested the guy and we found her." Lee told the story without revealing details which we weren't allowed to do.

"Oh my dear, how scary for you. Were you hurt?"

"No, only cold and stiff from being bound for a couple of days." I slid my hands out of sight under the table and felt Lee's warm one's wrap around them in comfort. I didn't elaborate any further.

"So what do you do Ashley?" Monique asked.

"Um not much now, keep house for him I suppose." I grinned at Lee. "I used to be a PA with the Navy and Marine's and I still help them out from time to time but my tour was up six weeks ago so I decided to opt out."

"Anything in particular you'd like to do?" Rachael asked.

"Well I have a hobby of interior designing but it's only a hobby and I've never really had any formal training or anything. Still I wouldn't mind trying to develop it a little bit more."

"Have you worked with many houses?"

"Only this one. Mostly I just play with sketches on paper."

"Would you show your sketches to me? I deal quite a lot with interior designers and I'd be interested in seeing some of your work. If I like what I see I might be able to help you out a little," Rachael offered.

"Oh I don't know, it's just something I've done for fun."

"Go on Ashley, you've done a great job with this place," Maddie encouraged.

"You should Mrs S knows her stuff," Maverick added.

"If you don't go and get them I will," Lee looked straight at me.

"Alright but you go and get them for me, I can't be bothered getting up and down those stairs again in this dress."

"Back in a moment." He gave me a loving kiss as he left the room.

I leant back in my chair watching his broad shoulders and backside as he crossed the living room when suddenly the chair fell backwards with a crash. Lee turned at the noise and smiled knowingly at me while the others laughed. Maverick and Pierre helped me back up on my feet, my face bright red.

Our coffee moved onto port and of course scotch. The boys called port lolly water with flavour. George and Pierre joined them in the scotch as did Maddie and I. Rebecca went to bed and Charlie headed home. I got changed as the drunker I got the more I tripped over the dammed dress.

As we got drunker the fun started and before long Maddie and I were out the front, glass of scotch in one hand and Maverick and Lee's dress swords in the other. Both Lee and Maverick had worn full dress uniform to the wedding which included the swords.

The clanging of metal on metal caught everyone's attention as Maddie and I battled drunkenly on the front lawn. We laughed that hard and fell over that much it was surprising we had any sort of sword fight at all. The men all placed bets on who would win while Rachael and Monique looked on in amusement.

We had to call a halt to the fight when we finished our drinks and wanted more. By this time all the Sanders were yawning and so a cab was called and they were sent off to some hotel, promising to return in the morning. Lee making sure they didn't come back before ten.

Maverick scooped up Maddie, wrestled his sword from her grasp, threw her over his shoulder and walked upstairs muttering something about pirate wench's. He didn't get very far as they had to move three sleeping children out of his bed.

Lee and I watched from downstairs amused before doors were closed and all was quiet. He pulled me into his arms, unpinning my hair and kissing me tenderly. I sighed and melted against him.

"This has been the best day ever." I stated reaching up for more kissing, my fingers at work on his uniform.

"Looks like it's about to get a whole lot better," Lee commented as he pulled pins galore out. "Bedroom's that way, my lovely sword fighting bride."

I giggled and tugged his hand, "Come on then, let's see what you're made of."

"Let's see if you can keep up, you mean?" His green eyes gleamed as he let me pull him up the stairs.

"Oh I can keep up, but do you remember how is the thing?"

"Do I remember how? Lady, you are seriously asking for it aren't you?"

"Asking for what? All you ever do is threaten me."

"I threaten you? I threaten you? You're right there but that's only because you love it."

"I do not- Lee!" I shrieked as he kicked the bedroom door shut behind us.

The End


End file.
